


The Emerald Sea

by Mspunkopera



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blink and you miss it spirk, Child Death, Death, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Heavy Angst, Multi, Original Character(s), Romantic Fluff, Smut to come later, Wounded, mermaid au, spirk, terror attack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-28 19:36:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 80,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13910739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mspunkopera/pseuds/Mspunkopera
Summary: What happens when Kirk and his crew find merpeople on a distant planet? Well, it definitely ain't singing, and the world that accompanies them isn't exactly Disney-friendly, either.





	1. Easy, Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Midgetdragon7x](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midgetdragon7x/gifts).



“Is it true they’ve got mermaids down there, Captain?” Scotty asked as the away team filed into the transporter room. 

“Yeah, sure, maybe. I don’t know any better than you, Scotty.” Kirk was clearly distracted, and it absolutely had something to do with the way he and Spock had been bickering back and forth as usual when they entered, followed by the doctor and his characteristic enthusiasm for being dragged all over the galaxy. It was a simple exploratory mission, observing a culture whose technology was not yet on par with their own, and the usual procedures applied—but god knew Kirk wasn’t letting anyone go down to a planet that was rumored to be inhabited by honest-to-god merpeople without him. 

Of course, the initial scans of the area proved more than a little disappointing; it was impossible not to form fantastical expectations of a place that promised mermaids, but this seemed just like any other normal Class M planet they’d stopped off at. None of the vegetation tried to eat them, there were no insidious pests waiting to clamber into their skulls through their noses and eye sockets. In fact it was _peaceful._

Until the sound of distant shouts and a horrible, inhuman screech cut through the natural sounds of the landscape around them. The three men fell silent at once and looked at each other with matching looks of wariness—even Spock’s stoic face held clear notes of urgency—and they headed off, quick and careful. A briny ocean breeze washed warmly over them as the forest opened up into tall sea grasses, rock and sand and waves sculpting the area much like the pacific, and the three huddled behind one such formation as they surveyed the source of the commotion. 

Four men stood at the water’s edge, two standing what looked to be a safe distance back, and two near a thrashing creature that sent water flying violently in every direction as they dragged it up the beach. For a moment it was difficult to tell just what kind of animal it was, the sunlight flashing brightly off of its scales and glittering on the spraying water, but then— 

“My god, is that a—”

“Yes, Doctor, I do believe it is,” Spock cut in, his brows pulling slightly together in an expression that could have been concern or fascination or god knew what else. Right there on the beach, rolling over and over in the rocks and the sand, struggled one of the most beautiful creatures they’d seen yet. It was clear as they watched why the other two men stayed back, as a long, _powerful_ tail thrashed, serpentine and scaled in deep, shining sapphire, the wide tail fin and webbed spines down her back tearing against the stones as she fought. The scales gave way to blue skin, lighter, more like the shallows than the deep ocean, and the blue continued through her hair until it faded to a completely colorless white, covered in sand and looking spectacularly like white caps. 

Her fingers were clutching desperately at something around her neck, and that’s when the doctor noticed the pole in one of the closer men’s hand, the loop at the end pulled tight as they dragged her out of the water by the throat. She was no longer screeching, but only because she clearly couldn’t: instead, as the men called to each other (and even laughed and jeered), she choked and gagged and gasped, terrified, enraged hissing breaking through quieter and quieter as they watched. 

“Jesus, Jim, they’re killing her!” McCoy whispered furiously, turning to look at the Captain with wide, almost beseeching eyes. 

“I know, I know, let me think—”

 _“Think?”_ McCoy repeated in the exasperation. 

“Captain, I do not believe it wise to interfere with their activities. They do not yet know we even exist, the Doctor cannot—”

“The hell I can’t,” Bones growled as he stood. 

“Doctor—” But Jim was already following him, leaving Spock with nothing to do but sigh heavily and stalk along behind. And yes, that was definitely frustration flickering in his dark eyes where no one was looking. Ahead of them the mermaid’s thrashing had become sickening flopping as she steadily lost consciousness, long fingers still stuck in the noose, and that was when the two other men who had been standing back closed in with something suspiciously like— 

“Is that a gun? My god, are they gonna _shoot_ her?!” Bones hissed, but before he could raise his voice to catch their attention (in the presence of such a creature, they hadn’t exactly noticed the three other men coming toward them) the one nearest them fired. A small dart caught her in the chest and she went stock still, her body agonizingly rigid. 

“Hey!” Jim called out, and the four men jumped and turned. Shock rippled through the three as they realized the men standing across from them weren’t a foreign species at all. 

“Captain—”

“You’re _human!_ You bastards are _human!”_

The presumed poachers scattered, running quick away from who they clearly recognized as a Starfleet Captain and his crew members, but as Jim and Spock tore off after them Bones dashed to the side of the mermaid. The first thing he did was loosen that horrible noose, gently easing it away from her...skin? And uncurling her fingers carefully. It was impossible not to feel some sense of _awe_ in her presence, even injured as she was: they’d seen many a species out in the ass-crack of the universe, but few of them were literally the stuff of human legend. But alongside that awe was a painfully familiar ache that he dulled with the skill borne of experience. The ache of indignant, righteous fury and empathetic pain for the wounded being still stiff as a board below him. 

It always eased as he healed.  
It always returned later.

To his surprise, the eyes that stared up at him, unable to close because of whatever that dart had done to her system—he was about to find out, tricorder already scanning and a sample to be taken next—were brilliantly green, what would be white on a human a soft seafoam shade; and they were noticeably larger than a human’s, pupils blown open wide with what he assumed was something like adrenaline. 

Unless they were just like that. God, sometimes it was a pain in the ass trying to figure out what was normal for unknown species, especially like this; but given the circumstances, he considered his assumption safe. Satisfied with what he found, McCoy gently eased the dart out of her chest and set it off to one side to study later. 

Once again he met that wild-eyed stare, his expression gently resolute. 

“God, I hope you can understand me,” He muttered, digging in his pouch for something he hoped would counteract the tranquilizer once he had what little information he could expect to get on a damn beach. His eyes only left that inhumanly green gaze long enough to find the place he needed and sent the nullifying chemicals flowing through her straining body with a press of Kirk’s long-dreaded nemesis: the hypospray. “That should help,” McCoy explained quietly, earnestly, even if there was nothing but fear burning in her eyes. Understanding came slowly, but faster than whatever Jim and Spock had ended up doing: as that tension eased in her body, so did the utter terror, but her need to run had not been dulled. She twitched and jerked as her body came back under her control, pained yet desperate little sounds getting caught in her throat as she struggled to move. 

“Hey, hey, easy now,” The doctor soothed, lifting his hands up and away from her body even if his eyes watched her--and that tail--carefully. Something about his words, or more likely the sound of his voice at all, made her go still, watching him with sharp suspicion. “I just want to help you, darlin’.” He patted his bag and her gaze dropped to the pouch, head turning since she was finally able. He took a moment to study her again even as she seemed to ponder that bag, noting the inhuman shape to her face once more. Her eyes weren’t the only difference: her nose was mostly human, but the nostrils were closed with flaps of cartilage akin to a dog’s and had she not been clearly breathing through it, the pieces flexing in and out with each inhale and exhale, McCoy would have wondered if it was some vestigial leftover. Large eyes were framed with a hairless brow, her cheekbones were more prominent and yet rounded and streamlined, and despite breathing through her nose there were definitely gills on each side of her neck. 

And smooth reptilian skin glimmered dully in the light as she lifted a bleeding hand and touched the bag. 

The creature opened her mouth and McCoy lifted one eyebrow sharply as he watched her try to speak, but despite a clearly massive effort, she could still only produce those same soft, pitiful sounds from a moment before. 

It was strange, watching a creature without eyebrows frown. 

She pointed to the water, then, and made another series of small sounds, her lips forming words he didn’t recognize. 

“You’re torn to bits, I want to see if I can patch you up some before I put you back in.”

She shook her head, pointed again, and then pointed at her throat. 

“If you go back in that water--” McCoy stopped when she shook her head. “Can you understand me?” Rather than nod yes or no, she touched her throat more insistently and then scooped up a handful of damp sand and let it fall between her fingers. “This isn’t makin’ a damn bit of sense,” He growled, and pulled out a dermal regenerator to at least attempt to patch her up if he could at least keep her still. 

Maybe he should have left her tranquilized for a little while longer….

He took her wrist and lifted it away from his bag and just lifted his eyebrow again when she tried to pull away, the attempt far weaker than he’d expected. 

“This is going to help,” He said yet again, and then set to work on her abused skin, noting that at least above her tail it was reminiscent of a snake more than it was some kind of fish. The mermaid stopped trying to pull away when she saw the wounds slowly close, faster as the doctor adjusted the settings, and didn’t fight when he moved up her arm to her torso. Gashes and scrapes along her narrow ribcage closed, the doctor moving around her on the sand to reach both sides, and then nodded to her head. “Your face is banged up pretty good. I’d like to work on those, too.” 

“Doctor?” McCoy looked up to find Kirk and Spock walking back toward them with no sign of the other men, and below him the creature tensed and shrank back, her instinctive distrust plucking at the protector in him. 

“All right, it’s all right,” He soothed again, holding a hand up for the other two men to stop. 

“She seems to like you,” Jim teased quietly, smiling at the both of them even if he didn’t come any closer. 

“Is it, in fact, female?” Spock asked, studying her with his head cocked to one side in interest. “There seem to be no obvious outward markers.”

“If you’re talking about breasts, Spock, you can just say it,” McCoy snapped back sourly, turning her face back to his so that he could resume his work. “Otherwise yes, as far as I can tell she’s female.” He glanced down at her chest again, at the way it was mostly flat save for a gentle swell where breasts _could_ have been, at some point, had they been necessary. Even with her face turned toward the doctor, the mermaid kept wary eyes on the other two men, and Bones could have sworn her eyes narrowed for just a moment. 

“Don’t particularly like those two, do you,” He continued to grumble just loud enough for the other two to hear him. Jim rolled his eyes, but to no one’s surprise Spock was wholly unaffected if you didn’t count his clearly thinking too deeply about that comment. 

“I fail to see how her feelings about us have any relevance to her current situation. You have her healing well in hand, an unsurprising development, if a noteworthy one.”

This time both Jim and Bones stared at Spock like he’d grown a second head, but while Jim’s expression quickly became fondness, McCoy eyeballed him like he expected an attack. 

“You oughta send him back to the ship, Jim. This air’s doing funny things to his head.” 

“Speaking of the Enterprise, we have placed her tormentors in confinement until we can ascertain the details of their presence on this planet.”

“Yeah, from what we understood from their terrified babbling, this is a pretty regular practice on this planet. Seems people pay a pretty hefty price for mermaid bone powder and an even heftier one for mermaid fabric and wigs.”

 _“Fabric?_ Good god man, what kind of sick savages are these people? They’re wearing other people as clothes!” His indignation made the creature flinch and his face smoothed out instantly. “Easy now. I’m mad for you, not at you. Here, let’s finish you up so you can get the hell away from this beach. _Mermaid fabric….”_ He finished the cuts on her face, her split lip, and she confirmed his suspicions that she at least understood their language when he asked her to open up her mouth and she obeyed. Of course, according to Jim’s smirk, that also proved the captain’s own suspicions correct, but none of that was going to matter after he did what he could for her torn fins and let her go on her way. 

She even allowed him to turn her over, and folded her arms on the sand so that she could rest her head on them. Jim let out a low whistle as he took in that damage, and rather than keep staring at the doctor while he worked the mermaid turned to stare fixedly at the captain. 

“Watch out, Bones,” Jim said as she continued to stare without blinking. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think she was getting possessive.”

“What makes you think you know any better?” McCoy drawled in return, watching intently as he used those steady, steady hands to help knit the translucent membrane between the spines on back and fin together again. “Not likely to trust anyone who looks like a human male after this. She’s just putting up with me so she can get back to the water. Kept pointing at it earlier.”

A sound that was unmistakably frustrated denial worked its way quietly up into her throat, and the creature turned and looked at the doctor once more, picking up another handful of sand. She let it slide through her fingers yet again, a drier clump this time, and then pointed away from the beach. 

“Does she speak English?” Jim asked, followed quickly by Spock:

“I believe she is, in fact, expressing a desire for land, Doctor.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” McCoy muttered as she gestured over at Spock in a move that could only be exasperated agreement. “Why would you want to go further onto land?” He asked, not really expecting more of an answer than the little sounds and pointing that he’d received before. He was right--she did point right at her throat and let out an abrupt, almost wheezing little noise--but this time something clicked. “Are you trying to tell me if you get away from the water, you can talk?” He clarified, skepticism dripping out of every inch of him from his cocked eyebrow to the set of his lips. She slapped the sand and then gestured to him with her entire hand in a clear but silent _finally!_

“Well then what are we waiting for? Bones, pick her up. We can carry her back to the forest where we aren’t so exposed and then see if she’s telling the truth,” Jim cut in, earning himself a glare from the doctor. 

“Not until I’m finished--” But the mermaid was already weakly rolling herself back onto her back so that she could be carried, and placed a hand over McCoy’s. This time, when she took her last handful of sand, her expression was so steady and yet so much softer that he could almost hear the words ‘trust me’ ring through the air. “I might need a little help. You’re a lot longer than we are tall.” She nodded, and then turned and pointed at Jim, motioning him forward with a crook of her finger. 

“Jeeze, what is she, royalty?” The captain griped, but he did as she motioned and came to lift up the (astonishingly solid and heavy) lower half of her tail where it still dragged the ground once Bones picked her up. The small trek back to the trees was slow and ungainly with a serpentine aquatic creature in tow, and once they finally hit the shade all three men stopped and looked at each other in anticipation. It was the mermaid’s wriggling that forced them all past that collective breath-holding and had Jim and Bones kneeling down carefully to set her on the grassy forest floor. They both took a step back, unsure of what would happen next, but whatever they were expecting, it wasn’t for her to loose another sharp, pained hiss, fold her arms across her middle, and curl into herself. Thinking he’d missed some serious internal damage the doctor jolted forward, but Spock grabbed his arm and held him back. 

“Wait, Doctor.”

“Are you out of your damn--” McCoy fell silent as the mermaid began to shake violently, pure horror written across his face, and the only thing that kept him from making the mistake of punching Spock directly in the chin was the fact that she seemed to be melting. Her torso pulled into her tail, her spines pulled into her body; the fins and fans vanished and the scales fell from her body in a sapphire rain. When all was said and done, a slender, naked blonde woman lay curled on a bed of grass and scales and freshly-shed, bluish skin, panting and clearing small amounts of water from her lungs every few seconds.

“My name is Ádís,” She greeted them finally, her voice rough from disuse. She tucked tighter into her ball with a less violent shudder and swallowed hard. “I’m sorry about that. I would have explained the process had I not been in my other form.” Slowly, slowly she pushed herself up, and when she opened her eyes to look at the three men above her, Dr. McCoy found himself strangely relieved that her eyes were still the same violent green as before. 

_“Fascinating,”_ Spock murmured. He lifted his foot to take a step closer and Ádís’ eyes fixed on him instantly, her gaze dropping to the offending foot and back up with enough of a pointed weight that he put it right back down. 

“I’m sure you all have questions, and I will answer them as best as I am able, but I must first ask you one last favor.” She looked at Jim, then. “Captain, will you please allow me to return with you to your ship? My body needs time to heal before I can attempt to shift back into the aquatic form, and it will be safer if I do not remain here.” 

“Captain? How did you know I was a Captain?”

“Your uniform. Starfleet Command gold, three bands on your cuffs. Has that changed?” 

“No, it hasn’t, but how did you--”

“Captain, please,” Ádís interrupted him. “I may look human, but I am a cold-blooded semi-aquatic mammal sitting naked in the shade with night closing in and the men that attacked me will be followed the moment they do not make contact with their associates on time. I am requesting sanctuary on your ship. Will you save me just to let me die?” Her words were sharp, but there was real desperation lingering just below the surface. 

“Jim, she’s scared,” Bones cut in softly. “She knows about us already, the monsters hunting her were humans--there’s no harm done.”

“All right, all right, Jesus--I was going to say yes to her, but get it together, will you? I don’t like you all...smitten.” On the ground Ádís’ lips twitched ruefully for just a moment until the men looked back down at her and she allowed relief to come through instead. 

“Thank you, Captain. And you, Commander--and especially you, Doctor.” Some of the fear left Ádís’ eyes when she looked at him, and even if he didn’t smile, his face softened as he nodded. Jim flipped open his communicator. 

“Scotty!”

“Aye, captain?”

“I need you to run as fast as you can and get a spare uniform, get about a...small? Preferably one with pants.” Those legs were...something else, still longer than a human’s, though it was close enough that it required a second (or third, if you were the doctor) look. 

“...Captain?”

“Just do it. And when you’re done, four to beam up.”

“Four? Jim, you didn’t find--”

“Goodbye, Scotty.” He snapped the communicator shut like it would somehow get more of a point across and then eyed Ádís again. “Here.” He tugged his shirt over his head and then tossed it over to the mermaid; she caught it with a small _look,_ but slipped it on nevertheless. 

“Do you make a habit of throwing your uniform at random females?”

“They don’t have to be female,” Bones groused, and Spock cracked an almost-smile. 

“While we wait, Ádís, might I ask you some questions?” Spock finally spoke up, and Bones rolled his eyes mightily: Spock had to have been dying to ask. 

“I suppose I don’t have anything better to do,” She quipped in response, the sass apparently lost on the Vulcan. 

“I will start with something simple, then. How did those men manage to catch you? I assume your people do not live near the shore, not with the dangers presented to your species.” 

“We don’t. We typically build on the ocean floor, at a depth where the pressure remains bearable.”

“Build?”

“Spock, let her answer your first question before you inundate her with six more,” Bones interrupted, and Ádís threw him a small but grateful smile. Her hesitance was explained as she continued. 

“They tracked me back from the city,” She explained quietly. “From the auctions.” She started to continue and then fell silent, her gaze falling to the way she now twisted her fingers together in her lap.

“What auctions? Not _mermaid_ auctions.” 

“Yes,” Ádís replied roughly. “I’m searching for my little brother. He went missing, you see, about a week ago, and I can’t...I can’t do nothing. He’s not the same as us, he’s not healthy, he can’t defend himself, he can’t escape.” It was clear that her chin was quivering despite her best efforts, and all three men averted their gazes. 

“I’m sorry,” Jim offered softly, and she nodded. 

“I was...upset. I couldn’t find any sign of him anywhere. So they managed to sneak up on me and loop that damn pole around my neck as soon as my feet hit the water.”

“And that’s when we heard you scream,” Bones spoke this time, his jaw set, dark anger flickering in his eyes once more. 

“It must have been. They were smart. They caught me when I wouldn’t be able to make much noise.” 

“What is the purpose?” Spock took his turn again, angling his head to one side. “What is the purpose of your body shedding its vocal chords?”

“They aren’t shed, just...modified. Moved. To make space. We don’t communicate with speech beneath the water, it doesn’t travel far enough. So in my aquatic form, our bones and tissue shift to allow us to communicate like your dolphins and whales, and we supplement with signs.” 

“How do you know so much about us?” Jim asked, but Ádís was saved from having to answer anything else by the communicator’s cheeping. 

“Go.”

“Captain, we’re all ready for ya.”

“You’ve got a spare uniform?”

“Aye, Captain, pants an’ all.” 

“Great. You got a lock?”

“Ye—no, actually. Bear with me a mo’, that’s not a signature I’m familiar with. ….Aaaaaall right, yes, we’re ready when you are.” 

Jim looked down at Ádís, at the way she was still only barely holding her place propped up above the ground. 

“You can’t stand, can you.”

“I doubt it, Captain.” 

“All right. Well then Bones, kneel with her, and stay with her when we get up there. Spock, you too. Scotty? Energize.”

When they finally materialized back on the platform, Scotty’s eyes were about as round as plates. 

“What’ve ya got there?” He asked, standing up from behind the controls. “And what have ya done to your shirt this time?”

“Who, Scotty,” Jim corrected as he ran a hand through his hair in thought. “Her name is Ádís, and she’s wearing it. Hand me that uniform.” Scotty tossed it over and Jim passed it on back, catching his own shirt in return as Spock shielded Ádís from view and the doctor helped her dress. “Commander Spock, Doctor McCoy, take her straight to medical. When you have her settled, Spock, I want you with me. We have some murderers to revisit. Bones...take good care of her.” As Spock stepped out of the way, Ádís came back into view, wearing the same blue as Spock and Bones and looking oddly at home in it. “But not too good,” He had to add as he walked away. 

Bones grumbled to himself, throwing a look at the Captain’s back as he left the room, and then turned his attention back on Ádís. 

“You sure you can’t walk? It’s gonna draw a lot less attention than a chair.” He asked. Ádís hadn’t expected them to attempt to keep her presence under the radar, nor to take it quite as seriously as both the doctor and the commander seemed to in that moment, and the consideration surprised her enough to make her forget to answer for a pair of heartbeats. 

“I—I can try,” She agreed, blinking fast and schooling the surprise out of her expression. “If you will help me.” 

“Of course. Spock?” The Vulcan was already reaching down, ready to help steady Ádís from one side even as Bones stood and helped lift her on the other. Her legs wobbled beneath her like a newborn foal and she let out a frustrated huff; but with what was clearly a good chunk of stubbornness she got her feet beneath her and planted them as firmly as she could. Scotty looked on, eyes still huge, looking between the three of them in utter disbelief as Ádís took a step, and then another, painfully slow and careful. 

“Easy, easy...there you go,” McCoy encouraged quietly, his gaze razor sharp, trying to ensure that if she stumbled, they would be right there. 

“Is it normally this difficult, at first, or is this a result of the attack?” Spock inquired quietly, aware of their audience. 

“Attack—” Ádís’ legs dipped and both men tightened their grips, keeping her up off the floor. “The attack,” She finished with a sigh. “Their immobilizers are not gentle. And neither are their other methods.” Strangling, for instance. “Doctor, I think, perhaps...I will create even less of a distraction being pushed rather than wobbling around the ship.” 

“All right. I’ll go get one, and you sit tight here with Commander Spock,” McCoy agreed. He missed the way Ádís’ eyes flickered over to him for the tiniest fraction of a second, clearly uncomfortable with being left, but Spock did not. 

“Doctor, I think it would be more prudent if you were to remain,” He cut in. “As of this moment, you are more familiar with her physiology than myself, and certainly more so than Mr. Scott.” 

“Barely, Spock, I think she’ll be—”

“Nevertheless, I will go.” Spock tilted his head to one side and even lifted both brows in his infuriatingly bland version of ‘do not argue further’, and McCoy waved him off with a grunt. He shifted his grip to keep Ádís upright as Spock eased her into the Doctor’s arms, and as the commander left he helped her back down onto the edge of the transporter pad to sit. 

“Are you warm enough?” He asked as he sat himself beside her. 

“I am, Doctor, thank you. The clothes help,” Ádís replied, and this time she offered him a soft—if rueful—smile. Scotty cleared his throat. 

“Am I allowed t’ ask what the devil is happening? With all due respect, Doctor, who the hell _is_ she?” 

“Her name is Ádís, the Captain already told you that.”

“Aye, he did, so I suppose I better ask _what_ the hell is she? Because she bloody well isn’ human.” 

“Scotty, now—”

“I am Ádís, of the House of the Emerald Sea, and I am what you humans would call a mermaid,” Ádís sighed tiredly, and braced herself for what she knew would come next. 

“Merm—now that—hang on a minute, d’you expect me to believe that?” 

“Scotty!” McCoy snapped pointedly, but the Scotsman merely shook his head. 

“If you’re a mermaid, how come ya haven’t got a tail? Last I checked, mermaids weren’ supposed ta have legs unless they ran afoul of a witch first.” 

“And the last time you checked, we were not real. We’re shapeshifters. We reside in the oceans, and come onto land when necessary.”

“Why?”

“To mate.” It was clear in Ádís’ acidic, overly-enunciated answer that she was not in the mood to play a further twenty questions. Scotty blinked. 

“So what then, they throw ya in the deep and ya grow a tail?”

“It’s a bit more than that.”

“How much mo—”

“Mr. Scott, that’s enough, damn it,” McCoy shut him down with real anger lacing his tone. The woman was stiff as a board beside him and hadn’t actually met Scotty’s eyes the entire time they’d spoken. “The men they brought on the ship were hunting her, and they damn near succeeded. Show a little respect.” Scotty swallowed and frowned down at Ádís, and when he asked his next question it was soft and genuine. 

“What’d they do with her if they had?” 

“Sell me,” Ádís replied again. “For parts or pleasure.” 

The silence was resounding after that, both men attempting to deal with their horror in a manner that wouldn’t be painfully obvious. They failed. 

“I’m sorry, lassie,” Scotty apologized softly, both for his own railroading and for her entire ordeal. Ádís accepted it with a nod, twisting her fingers around themselves in a move McCoy was beginning to recognize as an anxious tic. “Well, y’know, next time at least snap a picture,” Scotty teased weakly—but instead of a laugh like he was hoping for, Ádís looked up at him like he’d slapped her and dissolved into tears. 

“Oh, now you’ve done it, you thick-headed ingrate!” McCoy spat with a truly spectacular glower. 

“I didn’t—I didn’t mean—oh, Christ,” Scotty swore, dropping his face into his hand helplessly. And to add to his luck, Spock reappeared with a wheelchair for Ádís, and looked around the room with true confusion at the state of its occupants. 

“What happened?” 

“Oh, nothing,” McCoy drawled. “Our Chief Engineer just decided he wasn’t satisfied with sticking his foot in his mouth, oh no, no he had to shove his entire goddamn leg in.” He turned back to the crying woman and placed a hand on her back, gentle but steady and ready to withdraw if she preferred. “Hey now, it’s all right. He’s just an idiot. He meant the next time you looked the other way, not if you got attacked again. And believe me, we’re not gonna let that happen.” 

Spock’s communicator chirped and all three men sighed in very different tones. 

“Captain?”

“Where are you, Mr. Spock? I need you here.” 

“We have had a...situation. But it will be resolved shortly. I will be on my way as soon as I am able.” Even Spock tilted his head at Scotty, and then continued across the room with the chair as Ádís tried to collect herself. “We will take you to the med bay and Doctor McCoy will see to it that any accommodations needed for your species are met as best as we are able,” He explained as they both helped the woman to her feet just long enough to make the shift over to the chair. As they wheeled her out of the room, McCoy took a moment to bore a death glare through Scotty. 

“Try not to make any more women or children cry today.”


	2. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beaten, exhausted, and raw, the captain now knows what Ádís is--but now she must decide how much they need to know about who she is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It occurred to me that I should probably mention how Addie's name is pronounced, in case you're like me and want to hear it right in your head. Ádís is pronounced essentially like 'Ou-dees'. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the first chapter!! Your comments and Kudos make my little heart happy. <3

“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to run some tests, just to get a better idea of your physiology,” McCoy said as he helped Ádís out of the chair and up onto a table. Now that it was just the two of them (barring the other people in the med bay, but they didn’t know who or what she was and that suited her fine), she let go of what little composure she’d been able to maintain. Not so much the tears--she’d cried silently the entire way to the med bay, but thankfully her thick mass of curls had been able to hide some of that as she kept her head down--but the exhaustion, and certainly the hopelessness that had come with realizing her baby brother was still nowhere to be found. Green eyes lifted to look at the doctor and every ounce of agony and exhaustion sat cold and heavy in that rich emerald gaze; the causes may have been vastly different, but Leonard McCoy understood that kind of weight and soul-deep waste. “You don’t have to do anything but lay here,” He added softly. “Just close your eyes and breathe.”

Ádís nodded and he followed suit, watching closely as she took in a deep breath and laid back on the table. But as McCoy began to work around her, she found she couldn't keep her eyes closed. It brought her no comfort: instead she was met with flashes of things she wished she wouldn’t remember. Dark curls, bright grins, rich blue eyes, she couldn’t help but see her baby brother darting through the water as fast as his underdeveloped lungs would take him, scrawny compared to the rest but no less enthusiastic; and newer visions, the faces of her attackers as they jeered and laughed, her own blood thick and red against her sapphire scales, the holes torn in her fins, and the fear--the fear of death fighting against the fear of worse, against the fear of their hands and mouths and--

“Ádís.” The doctor’s voice cut through the swirl and she jumped, realizing that she’d fallen asleep sometime between wanting to never close her eyes again and….well. Right that moment, she supposed. “You all right? Your heart rate started to jump up pretty high.” Or at any rate, considerably higher than it had been. She blinked a few times, still rigid from her nightmare, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t force herself to relax. She could even hear the warning beeps from the monitors picking up again and yet still she remained frozen, panic coursing through her, barely breathing. Beside her Bones swore under his breath. “Hey--hey, now, listen to me, darlin’. They’re gone, that’s over, you’re safe now--”

 Addie shook her head, face twisting as tears tightened her throat once more, and for just a moment McCoy’s calm expression broke. She was right and they both knew it: it wasn’t over for her brother, and it wasn’t over for her people, and it wasn’t over for her.

 “All right,” He allowed softly. “Just breathe, breathe with me, can you do that? Just breathe in...and right back out. Come on.” He placed a wide hand on her stomach to feel her breathe and she twitched beneath it, but as he lifted it away (it wasn’t that damn hard to guess why she didn’t want his hands on her, after all) she seized his hand in both of hers and clung to him. He squeezed back and kept going, coaching her through each breath until finally the monitor stopped screaming at them both. “Why don’t you talk to me while I finish up, whaddya say?”

 “Okay,” Ádís agreed quietly. She began to sit up, but McCoy squeezed her hands one more time.

 “Relax a little while longer, all right? Just keep breathing.” He began his work again. “You, uh...you got any nicknames? Anything your family calls you?”

 “Yes,” She answered, and he stopped and lifted a surprised eyebrow.

 “Really? What is it?”

 “My family calls me Addie--what?” She demanded as a silly grin began to tweak his lips.

 “Addie, huh?”

 “What’s so unusual about that?”

 “Nothing, there’s nothing unusual about that. You just seem a little too...straight-laced for nicknames.”

 “Straight-laced? All right then, what about you? Do you have any nicknames? Anything _your_ family calls you?” Addie watched McCoy pause and think, and then he nodded to one side.

 “Touché.”

 “Your family calls you ‘touché’?” She repeated in a question, her voice still rough, though sass started to come back through as it had with Spock not long before.

“Of course not.”

 “Well? What do they call you?” Tension was beginning to bleed out of Addie’s body and her heart rate was dropping even lower, back to what the doctor assumed was her usual resting rate. “Hang on, I think I know this. Didn’t--didn’t your captain call you ‘Bones’?”

  _Damn it, Jim._

 “...Yeah. Yeah, he did.”

 “Why ‘Bones’? Are you secretly a necromancer?”

 “No, despite what Jim may tell you. It...has to do with a conversation he and I had the day we met.”

 “And that would be?”

 “That when I left for Starfleet, my bones were all I had left.” Leonard put it out there like he was listing a symptom and very intentionally did not look at her to see what her reaction might be. Addie stayed silent for a long moment, studying the man above her with a new light in her eyes.

 “So these people are your family.” Of the things Bones had expected her to say, that was nowhere even _close_. He stopped and looked down at her with his brows pulled together in thought, but he nodded.

 “Yeah. I suppose they are. As psychotic and dysfunctional as they all may be.”

 “That is something else our species share,” Addie replied with a smile, and that prolific eyebrow rose once more.

 “Something else? You know, you never did tell the captain how you know so much about us,” He pointed out, finally holding a hand out to help Addie sit up.

 “You’re right, I didn’t,” She replied, and then hunched over with a sigh once he sat her up straight. Fingers that were still a hair longer than normal lifted to rub at her eyes, and the doctor allowed himself to be distracted from that glaring question mark in everyone’s heads.

 “When you said your other form needed to heal, what did you mean? What’s happening to you right now?” It was by no means out of the question for her to be this exhausted after the events of her past week, but if there were other factors at play, he wanted to know about them. Addie groaned and wiped her face with her hands, trying to rub some energy back into herself.

 “It’s a regeneration,” She said. “In essence, anyway. The body pieces itself back together, and when I change again, it should all be healed.”

 “Fresh tissue?”

 “Yes.”

 “In how long?”

 “Depends on the extent of the damage, but with your help, oh...a couple of days,” Addie replied, pulling her face out of her hands. “And I _will_ answer your questions, but I would like to have your captain present. And I’ll be honest, Doctor...I would love a real nap.” She knew that no matter where she laid down, she still ran the risk of those nightmares, but if they had a place that was at least a little more secluded she figured she could handle it.

 “Leonard,” He corrected her quietly.

 “I’m sorry?”

 “Leonard. My name is Leonard McCoy. My friends call me Bones, or Leo, or hell, some of ‘em even call me Len. I just...if I know Addie, you might as well know that.” He offered Addie a smile and she returned it, even as weary as she was.

 “Thank you, Leo,” She murmured, and his smile widened just a hair more, more than he usually allowed when he was on duty.

 “You’re welcome, Addie.”

 

* * *

 

 Addie didn’t get her nap. But she got a room, some food, a shower (after assuring them that she wouldn’t transform under the spray), and some clothes that weren’t a spare uniform, replicated from patterns a woman named Uhura had apparently assured them would be ‘better than that sack of potatoes you had picked out’. The captain had assigned her care to the doctor completely, which suited her fine: she didn’t dislike anyone she’d met, yet, but she still didn’t feel like mingling.

 The food had been an interesting adventure: she’d never actually eaten in her humanoid form, and so she had no idea what she might or might not be able to stomach. What followed was a guessing game built upon lists and lists of the things they actually ate at the bottom of the ocean--fish, shellfish, anything else available in the waters and on the ocean floor or (to Leo and Spock’s astonishment) grown in their greenhouses. That had prompted an entire conversation about the nature of their cities, how they managed to build along the ocean floor and not be noticed--what they even needed buildings _for_. It was astonishing to the men that they’d created a society as advanced as they had, which in turn was extremely amusing for Addie.

 “You have _lights_?”

 “Of course we have lights. We build where we are not seen, too deep for light to penetrate one way or the other. It didn’t used to be that way, there are other planets where the cities stretched along the ocean floor and up over the surface.”

 “Other _planets?!”_ This time Bones was the one asking all of the questions, and Spock was happy to let him do it, making his own notes as they all talked over their meal. Addie merely smiled mysteriously at him and glossed over his question: they knew she wasn’t going over some things until their captain had the time to sit down with all three of them, and from what she’d been told, he’d been dealing with their prisoners (a term Spock was not pleased with, and a term Addie and Leo very much _were_ ) and Starfleet Command since they’d come aboard. It wasn’t until well into her planet’s night that she was summoned, soothed and clean and fed, to the captain’s ready room.

 “How are you feeling?” Jim asked as they all settled down. She certainly _looked_ better than she had earlier, at any rate.

 “Better, Captain, thank you. Your crew have been very kind.” It was a strange thing, now that Bones had seen her both broken and relaxed, to watch the way her posture and personality changed before the captain. The formality of her speech, the polite graciousness, the hushed dignity in the set of her shoulders….

 She looked like a politician, and both Spock and McCoy realized they had missed an entire, _important_ line of questioning. It was a mistake their captain was not about to make.

 “Good. I like to think I have the best crew Starfleet has to offer,” Jim told her with a warm smile. Addie returned his smile, and though it was equally warm—she wasn’t kidding about their kindness, it had touched her deeply—it was still polite and controlled. “As I’m sure you’ve been told, I’ve been talking with my superiors about your situation here. The humans who attacked you are to be brought back to stand trial for their crimes, and we’ve been asked to supply the necessary evidence. If this goes well, we may be able to step in and keep humans, at least, from hunting you down.”

 “I will help in any way I can,” Addie assured Jim, some of her quiet dignity hardening into tightly controlled anger.

 “Well see, that’s the thing,”’Jim said with a sigh, and Addie frowned.

 “What sort of thing?”

 “They want you to come testify.”

 “Done.”

 “Now.”

 Addie was silent for a moment.

 “My brother is still out there.”

 “I know. But we can’t interfere.” And it clearly pained him to have to say that: had it not been impressed upon him during _several_ arguments throughout the night, he’d be helping her right that second. Addie’s composure faltered and her lip quivered for just a moment. “I’m sorry, Ádís, I am—”

 “What if our nation became a part of the Federation? What would that change? This is genocide, Captain. And we’ve been fighting it for as long as we’ve existed.”

 “Being a member of the Federation...might change things. But you can’t speak for your entire race,” Jim replied, even though his brain was clearly turning the problem over in his head.

 “As...a matter of fact, I can,” Ádís replied quietly, her gaze dropping to her fidgeting hands. “With little more than a call.” The whole room went still.

 “I’m gonna need a little more explanation than that,” Jim said, lifting both eyebrows seriously; one glance around the room showed that the other two men in the room wore a similar kind of shocked expression. Ádís took a deep breath and forced herself to look up into Jim’s _impossibly_ blue eyes.

 “I am...Princess Ádís, of the House of the Emerald Sea, and the water dwellers on this planet are mine to govern as I see fit. My father and his husbands make up one half of the ruling pair, and my uncle and his wife make up the other. There are two kings, two lines of succession, and together we collectively govern our race as it is spread across the galaxy,” She explained. “I answer directly to my father and my uncle. We...have been considering reaching out to the Federation for some time now; I don’t think it will be much of a stretch on our end to accept.”

 Jim blinked several times, his brows lifting even higher, and he looked away as his thoughts became a tangle of new information, questions, and ideas.

 “Why did you conceal this information from us?” Spock spoke up first, and Bones snorted dryly.

 “Why on earth do you think?”

 “Doctor, if you please, I am asking the Princess.” Bones grumbled quietly, but he didn’t try to interrupt again. Addie sighed and turned to look at the commander.

 “Because it wasn’t relevant,” She replied.

 “Not relevant? Your being a princess wasn’t _relevant?”_ Jim repeated, turning back to look at her from where he’d turned to frown at the wall.

 “No, it wasn’t. My life was in danger: in that moment I was not a princess, I was--and still am--a person who needed _help_. I told you all that was necessary.”

 Jim shook his head in disbelief, but Spock accepted her answer readily.

 “She is not wrong, Captain. Logically speaking, if you were just attacked, you wouldn’t waste time attempting to establish diplomatic relations with your rescuers; you’d be, if I may use a human phrase, ‘getting the hell out of there’.” Spock’s support--and phrasing--settled Addie again, and she took another deep breath.

 Bones didn’t miss the way she folded her fingers together as if she’d just realized she’d been twisting them.

 “Well I guess that brings us to our next question, then,” Jim went on, still watching the princess like he half-expected her to explode. “How the hell do you know about us? Our language? How come you know about us, and we don’t know about you?”

 “Well, Captain, it’s a simple explanation, really, though it might come as a bit of a shock,” Ádís replied, her tone sharp and sarcastic as Jim’s suspicious regard put her on the defensive. “My people can pass as humans.” There was a pause as those implications registered after the sass was processed, and Addie didn’t move, didn’t blink, didn’t look away from the captain.

 “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jim retorted in disbelief.

 “I assure you, I am not.”

 “Your people have--have been _spying_ on us?”

 “Oh, don’t play some kind of victim here, Captain,” Ádís denied with a sigh. “We all do it. We all must know who we can trust, or at least trust not to skin us alive before we’ve even said our hellos. We’ve watched you grow, and build, and advance. We’ve watched you fight. We’ve watched you kill. And now, we see that at least some of you finally come bearing hearts of peace.” Tiredness gave way to earnestness, then, and Addie squeezed her hands together in her lap. “We lived on Earth, Captain. Your legends of mermaids come from the presence of our people. And we left because we were being murdered then, just as we are now. Humans have learned to make amends with other races; let this be a start between ours.”

 The silence that followed was thoughtful, at least: Jim watched her for a moment, and then shared looks with Spock and McCoy. Whatever they said in the silence made the captain nod to himself, and when he looked back at Addie his suspicion had lessened to serious study.

 “Your people must be millennia ahead of ours, technologically speaking,” He began, thumbing his jawline, feeling the stubble forming. “I mean, you’ve been travelling planet to planet since before we even had electricity, the way you tell it.”

 “Yes.”

 “That’s not unusual, we’ve found. You’re about as far ahead of us as we are ahead of the people who share your planet. Which begs the question: Why don’t you defend yourselves? Are you pacifists? Did you lose the technology? Or are you just bullshitting us?”

 “Defend ourselves how? By posting sentinels at the edge of the entire planet’s oceans? By creating a no-man’s land of every beach and denying them access to a major resource? You ask us to court war and be conquerors, Captain, for that is the only way to keep our waters safe without mutual respect.” Ádís’ gaze dropped, and when she lifted it again her expression hardened. “Not a day goes by when I do not consider stamping the lot of them out. They consume my people in the most literal sense, for food and pleasure and clothing and decor. They rape and pillage not our home, but our very being. But we are not conquerors. My people left that way of life long before I was born. We understand, you see, that there is no honor in using cannons against those who can only wield knives, and there is no justice in murdering children.

 “But more than that, James Kirk, it is not the native species of this planet against whom we must defend ourselves. Like I said before: their weaponry is barely above the stone age in comparison with our own, and we are not without our own protections when we keep our heads about us.” She wasn’t too proud to admit she had not. “People like the men you have captured in your holding cells are those who pose such a danger to us. Men who come with poisons and plans, men who come with phasers set to kill. Men from your own species, and a few others. The men who kill us and sell us to those who cannot capture us themselves. On other planets, it is a more even match. Respect is forged in fire and alliances are created. But not here.” Addie hadn’t even noticed that she’d leaned forward, hand pressed against the glass top of the captain’s desk; she hadn’t realized that her expression had shifted from frustration to fire, or that she hadn’t blinked, or that the captain had not blinked, either, eyes fixed upon her own.

 “We have much to offer the Federation, Captain Kirk,” She finished more quietly, forcing herself to sit back in her chair and control the outpouring of emotion the struggles of their existence created. “And I mean that. But what we ask in return is that you help keep us _alive_.”

 Again the Princess’ words were met with stunned silence, and again the captain looked back and forth between his crew mates before he spoke. Spock simply tilted his head to one side as if to say it was a logical trade-off, and a moral one at that, and Bones--

 Jim snorted.

 The good doctor tore his eyes away from Addie to look at his friend with an expression that managed to say ‘holy shit’ and ‘you’re gonna help her, right?’ all at once, and once again Jim nodded to himself, but this time it was with an exasperated smile.

 “That’s a hell of an argument, Princess. You...go make the calls you need, talk to your people, tell them where you are and then get ahold of your family. I’ll do what I need to do on my end, and when I’m set I’ll call for you. Spock, you take Princess Ádís back to her temporary quarters. I have some things I want to go over with Doctor McCoy.” Jim didn’t miss the way Addie and Leo glanced at each other, even if it was so quick it almost didn’t happen, and he lifted an eyebrow at the doctor as Spock stood and waited for Addie to stand as well.

 “Until later, then, Captain--Doctor,” Addie said, nodding to both men before she allowed Spock to lead her out. Once the door closed behind them and they’d had time to get out of earshot, Jim shook his head and huffed out a laugh.

 “God you work fast.”

 “What the hell are you talking about? Jim she’s been traumatized, you don’t really think I’ve spent all day hitting on her, do you? Jesus Christ, we spent a good solid five minutes working her through a panic attack enough to get the monitors to stop shouting at us.”

 “I’m just saying, she’s awfully attached to you already.”

 “Believe it or not, Jim, some people find me comforting, and I’m guessing my taking the _actual_ noose off of her neck might have something to do with that.” Bones’ indignation pulled a genuine smile across Jim’s face and he shook his head, pulling an exasperated growl out of the older man. “You’d better not start teasing like this in front of her, Jim. Scotty’s already made her cry once today. This isn’t a joke.”

 “Yeah, I know, Spock told me. Said Scotty stepped in it pretty good.”

 “You have no idea. She’s a matter of hours off of an assault and attempted kidnapping because of her species, but Scotty thought it was a good idea to grill her like a salmon--and then had the nerve to joke about wanting pictures.”

 “Oh, god….” Jim rubbed his eyes with a croaky sigh. “He does understand why that upset her, right? She’s here trying to fight the idea that her people are commodities, for god’s sake. No wonder she’s trying to stick with you.”

 “I don’t know if that occurred to him particularly, but he did at least notice that when he said ‘next time’ it sounded a whole hell of a lot like he meant the next time she was attacked.” Bones shook his head and sighed, too. “She’s warmed up to Spock. He’s been trying to keep her taken care of in his own way.”

 “Yeah? How’s that?”

 “Inquiries kept at a minimum,” Bones growled, lifting an eyebrow. “And...being pretty damn observant. She needed a wheelchair earlier, before everything finally left her system, and he noticed she wanted me to stay before I did.” That brought a softer smile to the captain’s face, and Bones rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and shook his head.

 Goddamn puppy love.

 “All right, well. Tell me what you found while I call up Command, and hang around in case they have questions. But one more thing, and I mean this seriously,” Jim said, waiting until Bones’ eyebrow had lowered so that he knew the man was truly listening and not just listening to argue.

 “I wouldn’t trust her, Bones. Not as far as you could throw her.”


	3. You Look Like Shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say it's always darkest before the dawn; and for Addie, dawn is a long, long way off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So since this is my first fic here on ao3, I didn't realize I couldn't give each chapter an individual rating (oops). So as we go on, that rating is gonna start changing, because this won't remain G much longer.

__

“Commander Spock, I must warn you, this conversation is not likely to be a lively one,” Addie murmured as she sat herself down in front of the monitor.

“I assure you, a lack of liveliness with have no bearing on my own disposition,” He responded as he shifted to stand just behind her chair, hands folded before him. “I am here for proof, and support.”

“Moral support, Commander?” Addie teased half-heartedly. She had no desire to call any member of her family: her parents would be desperate for news about her brother, and her second-youngest brother--a twin of the missing sibling--would be beside himself.

“If that is what you wish, though I don’t believe any morals will be brought into question.”

Addie opened her mouth to respond, turned to look up at the Vulcan, and then shook her head with a little smile when she caught hints of what could only be the ghost of a smile on his own face.

“Being teased by a Vulcan. Goodness, even I know that’s rare,” She said, fingers working over the console to patch into her own people’s systems. The scene that met them when the signals finally connected was odd, alien--and beautiful. What initially appeared to be black walls covered in a giant lattice-work cage of thick, copper-colored wire soon showed themselves as a glass-like material, utterly transparent and likely able to withstand insane amounts of pressure. Golden light glowed and reflected strangely off of the material, but when sound finally reached their ears, the reason became clear: _everything_ was underwater.

Even the tech.

A face slid into view: even under that warm golden lighting its skin was bright cyan, its matching hair cropped short and streaked with magenta, but its eyes were solidly white with bright yellow irises. Its eyes lifted up to Spock, and though it clearly drew in a breath to speak, words were not what came out of its mouth. Instead it pursed its lips and whistled, a piercing melody that was enough to send chills over even Spock’s skin. But more surprising than that was the way Addie responded in kind, whistling high and trilling like a songbird. Her part completed, the other mermaid inclined its head and crossed an arm over its chest, hand curled into a fist, and then clearly began to work over their own console. They were transferred to another room, this time not entirely submerged: water washed gently at a walkway that lifted out of the water in steps like the side of a temple, and as a similar sort of whistling came muffled through the water, another head and shoulders cleared the water before what Spock assumed was a similar console.

This one appeared to be male: the squareness of its jaw and the wide set of its shoulders bore markers of various species’ male sexes, in any case, its chest far broader than Addie’s had been. His skin was pale, pale yellow, his hair the same colorless white that had capped off Addie’s, but the whites of his eyes were solid black and the irises were startlingly white. And as he pushed himself further out of the water to sit on the walkway, darker yellow scales glinted in the golden light, black and white working patterns over skin and fin like a tropical fish on dazzling display. This one did not speak, but the place where his eyebrows would have been drew together in an expression that was utterly forlorn. He gave a single, gentle shake of his head and Addie did the same--and when the other creature visibly swallowed hard, Addie let out a choked little sound and clamped her hand over her mouth to hide the trembling.

“I’m sorry,” She finally ground out. “I’m sorry, I looked, I looked everywhere, but there was nothing-- _nothing_.” She began to crumple forward, but nevertheless she kept her head up to look at her brother. “They caught me on the way back, they almost had me--I was so stupid, I wasn’t looking, and they snuck right up on me.” Addie took a moment to draw a shuddering breath, and in that moment the creature on the screen nodded to Spock and, just as she’d said, began to sign.

“Is that a Starfleet Officer?” He signed, concerned in the extreme. “What are you doing with them? What are they doing here?”

“They saved me,” Addie breathed, speaking both aloud and with sign. “The hunters nearly had me, they caught me round the throat and dragged me out of the water.” Her voice broke, and the tears she’d hoped she’d gotten out earlier rose right back up to the surface.  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry Even, I _tried_.”

On the screen the other man went stiff and nodded, dropping his gaze for as long as it took him to pull himself together.

“I’m just glad they didn’t get you too,” He said, his eyes betraying the agony his hands could not. “What now? Are they protecting you? Will they help?”

“I’m trying. I’ve offered our membership in the Federation in return for their aid. The Captain is bringing it before his people, and I am going to bring it before Pabbi and Uncle next. Will you--will you look after things, while I’m up here? Just a while longer?”

Even nodded tiredly, and Addie let out a shaky breath.

“Be careful, Addie,” Her brother signed, and then followed it with a sweet, soft whistle that made her breath catch. She repeated the tune, ended the transmission, and then...sat there. In total silence, except for the way she sniffed and so clearly tried to keep her crying quiet. Spock let her cry for a little while, but he also knew that the captain would be dealing with business on their end, and she needed to be ready.

“Princess, if I may...I believe the best way to continue fighting for your people is to bring your proposal before your father before the Federation makes a decision.”  

“...Yes,” She agreed after a moment. Spock let her have another moment of silence, an almost shell-shocked sort of silence at that, and attempted to draw her back out of it again.

“What was it? His last whistle?” He tilted his head to one side even if her head hung low, and Addie cleared her throat against the way it threatened to tighten up all over again. The princess whistled that same, soft tune one more time, her green eyes staring off into nothing.

“It means ‘I love you’,” She answered him honestly.

Spock had the good sense not to make any remarks regarding his interest on the subject.

Ádís wiped her eyes and then drew in another breath as she reached up and worked to connect to the next transmission, and this time when the screen flooded into color, it looked vastly different. That same glassy material formed a dome, but outside was clearly open air, and sunshine reflected off of the waves that the rushed against the sides of the domes and cast beautiful, rolling patterns across the coppery cap at the top. The room was not full of scaled creatures, this time: instead the creatures gathered in their humanoid forms, dressed in fabrics that looked impossibly soft to the touch, but every one of them looked at the screen with various expressions of stress and worry and hushed mourning.

“Addie?” One of them said, tall and sharp-boned, his eyes just as vividly green as Addie’s. Spock assumed it was her father instantly, and was not corrected by her answer.

“Pabbi, I—I have some news.”

“Yes, I would say you do,” Her father murmured, his gaze washing over Spock with wary interest. “I take it this news does not include word of Vali’s return.”

“I—no.” Addie swallowed again and her father nodded, looking practically _ancient_ as his gaze dropped to his folded hands.

“I see you reached out to Starfleet.” There was more than a touch of sarcasm in his tone, but rather than smile, Addie shifted uncomfortably. “What is it?”

“They saved me.”

_“Ádís_ ,” The king knew instantly, and both father and daughter leaned forward in indignation. “I told you to stay put!”

“I can’t _sit_ here and do nothing!”

“And what would we have done if we had lost you too, tonight?” Her father demanded, his voice low, his eyes haunted. The fight died out of Addie, but there was something in that silence that made Spock certain there was more to that story than just their missing youngest, and he made a note to ask about it later.

“I have proposed an arrangement between our people and the Federation,” Ádís moved on quietly. “But I need your backing.” Another man came to stand beside her father. He was blonde while the other was dark, taller even than Addie’s father, and broad enough that he made the raven-haired man look slender in comparison.

“What kind of proposal?”

“No more than what we have discussed. Our membership for their help in fighting this.” Both men looked at each other, speaking volumes without words, but when they glanced back at the screen their faces seemed resolute.

“Do not promise more than we can give, my darling,” Addie’s father warned her softly. “But we trust you to make this call. You’ve earned it.” Despite the plight of their people on Ádís’ planet, she had minimized damage greatly after being installed and had been working with other cities across their oceans to implement similar protections—but nothing was perfect, and their killers adapted quickly.

Ádís nodded, and then jumped when she felt a light touch at her shoulder. She turned to look up at Spock.

“If you will allow me, I feel it important to address some...stipulations, that generally come with being absorbed into the Federation,” He said quietly. Addie stood and pulled her chair out of the way, and then she waved Spock closer.

“Pabbi, Uncle, this is Commander Spock of the USS Enterprise,” She introduced the Vulcan, knowing that his name (and certainly the name of his ship) had been mentioned several times over the years when their people had returned from gathering intelligence. “Mr. Spock, these men are our Kings: Llyr, my father, and Torin, my uncle.”

“Your Majesties,” Spock acknowledged, inclining his head to the pair. He made another note to ask about her father’s name later. “I fear it would be remiss of me not to explain the general conditions under which the Federation inducts its planets.” Llyr lifted an eyebrow, his expression unreadable, but Torin merely listened patiently, if carefully. “You would, of course, need to agree to live by the Federation’s charter and tenets. I...assume, with your thoroughness of research, that you are aware of these tenets?” Spock looked between the screen and Ádís for confirmation, and Addie awarded him a half smile and a nod.

“We have become a cautious people out of necessity, Commander,” Torin replied, his voice deep and rich.

“Of course, Your Majesty, you will not find me in denial of that fact. Moreover, there is a certain level of exchange that is expected: knowledge, art, music. But also aid. That which is given, will also be expected in return. If the Federation goes to war, you, too, will be expected to participate.”

“I don’t believe there has ever been an alliance that did not rely on the principle of reciprocity, Commander Spock,” Llyr replied with a touch of sass. Spock tilted his head to one side.

“An accurate observation, Your Majesty. I only wish to make certain you are adequately prepared to tie the fate of your people to that of ours.”

“We are determined to survive, Commander,” Addie spoke up. “And for that we need _your_ help. Our fate rests in your hands.” She met Spock’s gaze calmly, steady and sure—and was surprised when something unreadable flickered across his face and brought shadows to his eyes for the span of half a heartbeat. She had no way of knowing that they hadn’t been the first people whose fate he’d held in his hands.

She had no way of knowing how spectacularly he had failed them.

Failed _her_.

“Ádís,” Her father called their attention back and she turned, but not without a slight frown at Spock. “Make the arrangements needed, but do not forget—and do not allow them to forget—who it is that hunts us. We are asking them to hold their own peoples accountable as much as we are asking for any aid to fend off those who are not members.” His green eyes, so much older than Addie’s, fixed Spock with a serious stare, but the look wasn’t threatening so much as the king was making it clear that Spock should remember that, too. Spock nodded once, as serious as the situation demanded.

“I won’t, Pabbi,” Addie replied quietly, and on the screen her father’s face softened. This time it was Addie who offered that soft whistle, drawing a circle in the air with her fingertip, and as the people gathered in the room returned it in an echoing chorus that made her smile sweetly Spock’s communicator chirped again.

“Captain?”

“If you all are done, bring the Princess back to my ready room. We need to talk.”

Spock and Addie looked at each other as the screen before them went blank.

“We are on our way, Captain,” Spock replied, but before he could turn for the door Addie placed a hand on his arm—feather-light and just long enough to gather his attentions once more.

“Commander, did I...upset you, in some manner, earlier? For a moment you...did not seem pleased.”

“I am Vulcan, Princess. It is not in our way to be ‘upset’.” Spock seemed absolutely normal, and perfectly genuine, but still something needled at her.

“Very well. Mr. Spock, just know...I would want to know, if by some strange turn that became the case.” She offered him a small, wry smile. “My species is clearly not in the habit of divorcing ourselves from our emotions so readily.”

“It would seem they are not,” Spock agreed as he led her back down the halls of the Enterprise and to the captain’s ready room once more. Addie lifted an eyebrow at him as they walked, but said nothing, instead bracing herself for what was to come next—even though by that point they’d all been awake through their respective nights and she could _feel_ the fatigue turning her bones to lead. Apparently it showed in her face as they entered, for McCoy’s face pulled into a frown the moment he laid eyes on her, clearly taking in as much of both she and the Commander’s states as he could.

“Everything all right?” Jim asked. He could see it too, the fatigue that drew lines in her young face, the red around her nose, the pale pink splotches on her cheeks--the stress that made her seem older even than she’d appeared when she’d first transitioned from the aquatic form to the more human-esque shape, bloodied and shaking.

“Everything’s fine, Captain,” Ádís replied, but the following smile did not reach her bloodshot eyes. Kirk simply looked at her, made sure she knew _they_ knew she was full of shit, and then moved right along: he could let her save a _little_ bit of face.

“I have been authorized to conduct the necessary proceedings for bringing your nation into the Federation.” Jim began. Addie’s shoulders twitched as she fought the desire to let them slump with relief, and he held a hand up. “I’m not finished. I am only authorized to do so after I have seen your people, your city, studied your lives and am positive this won’t be a mistake on the Federation’s part. You understand, this has the potential to embroil us in a war we can’t afford.” Addie opened her mouth to argue and Kirk waved her off again, which sent a cold flash of fury across her face. “I’m not saying we won’t do our duty by you all and help with what we can if this doesn’t work out, Princess. I will _personally_ see to it that we do if I have to. But you’re a natural-born politician, I can see it. I have a feeling you could turn your own pity-party into a weapon. So I think you’ll understand where we’re coming from.” Jim finished with a bemused smile, and Addie shifted, working her mouth against the way she wanted to argue, her face carefully blank.

“Yes, Captain, I can. But you must understand, in this I am not a mediator. I am not an ambassador. I am a victim, as are my people, as are my family. This isn’t politics as usual for me. This is personal.”

“Yeah, well, believe it or not, Princess, I get it,” Kirk replied. A strange expression flickered over Addie’s face and she canted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully for a fraction of a second.

“Please don’t call me that.”

“Call you what? Princess?”

“Yes.”

“Protocol dictates that we must refer to you by your title, Princess,” Spock cut in. Addie lifted an eyebrow and flicked a glance at Bones, but turned right back to Kirk.

“Very well. As Princess I am requesting that you refer to me as either Ádís or Addie for the remainder of our time together.” She met Jim’s gaze evenly, even haughtily--if he wanted ‘Princess’ he’d get it--and then lifted her eyebrow all over again like she dared him to argue. Jim shook his head slowly and huffed out a soft, exasperated laugh.

“It’s not going to work,” He said, lifting both eyebrows in return. Addie shook her head and shrugged with her mouth.

“What’s not going to work?” She let that hang for a moment and then continued. “I will be happy to bring you to my city, Captain, and anyone else you deem fit to come along, but I feel I must remind you that we are not creatures who must rely on open air for our oxygen. Are you capable of spending extended periods of time beneath the surface?”

“Our equipment should get us there, I think. Right Spock?”

“I am confident we have serviceable equipment that will suit our needs. But perhaps, if we were able to drop in closer to our target, it would extend our time beneath the surface.”

“If you would be willing to employ a shuttle, I can lead you to the city over the surface,” Addie agreed readily. “It would be a mere matter of charting our course before we go, so that those who would come to retrieve us would not get lost on the way--and so that those who should not know of its presence cannot track us.”

“That’s all well and good, but some of us have been awake for almost twenty-four hours. No one’s doing anything until we’ve had a chance to rest,” Leonard cut in, folding his arms over his chest. That wasn’t just for Addie’s benefit: Spock and Jim had learned to hide their weariness better than most through the years, but there was no hiding it from their doctor, and he was exhausted, too. All three people blinked, but rather than argue, both Jim and Addie nodded.

“It’s an hour or so away from daybreak on your planet,” Jim said, looking over at the princess once more. “We can all get some sleep and take a late start. Dr. McCoy tells me the daylight won’t make much difference where you are, so I’m not worried about timing our arrival with your sun. I’ll make sure you get a wake-up call, and we can plot out the logistics then. Bones, take her back to her room.”

“I can find it on my own at this point, Captain.”

“Yep, I’m sure you can. Bones?” Jim smirked just so at Addie’s eye-roll, but his expectant gaze was on the doctor, not the princess. Leonard stood with a nod and came around to wait for Addie to stand, waving her out ahead of him.

“Until tomorrow, Captain,” Addie called over her shoulder.

“Until tomorrow, Ádís,” Jim called in return, his face breaking into a shit-eating grin as they moved out of sight.

“Jim, what was the significance of Princess Ádís’ request for us to refrain from using her title?” Spock asked, turning back to look at his captain. Jim laughed, eyes bright, a touch of admiration in that twinkling blue.

“She’s trying to make it personal,” He said, shaking his head. “I gotta tell ya, that woman’s something else.” Spock tilted his head to one side, and then allowed himself a small, genuine and impossibly warm smile.  

“She reminds me of you.” Spock stood, then, and with a further crinkling of his eyes, he held his hand out for Jim’s. He did happen to love the way the offer always made his t’hy’la melt. “And I will explain my observation,” He continued as Jim gently took his hand, “While you take yourself to bed, Captain.”  

Standing in the turbolift in another part of the ship, Dr. McCoy lifted an eyebrow and looked at Addie sideways, hands folded behind his back, concern lacing his gaze. She was staring at her hands, clasped loosely before her, and her hair--braided back out of her face after her shower hours ago--was no longer hiding her face as it had earlier. That meant that when she finally let the Princess mode fall away, he could see the toll the fight was taking on her. And yet he could still hear Jim’s words, a warning not to trust her: she was desperate, and desperate people would stop at just about nothing, and with what little they knew about Addie she very well could be one of those people for whom nothing _was_ a deterrent.

But he was an instinct guy, and while Jim was pretty damn good at reading people, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Addie was truly being genuine with him.

“You all right?” He ventured after a moment. Addie’s brow twitched and she smiled dryly, eyes still on the ground.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that,” She replied, folding her arms over her chest. Bones’ lips curled just so, and he turned and faced forward again.

“Because you look like shit,” Leo answered easily, and didn’t flinch when Addie looked up at him in shock. She opened her mouth, fully prepared to be offended, and then just...stopped. And smiled. And then the smile became a grin, which became a laugh, her face lighting up in an adorably soft, tired manner as she shook her head.

“You’re right,” She agreed, still smiling. “I look absolutely terrible. And I feel it, too.”

“Anything I can help with?” He asked, his pleased little smile at having made her laugh fading back into concern. Addie sighed and then looked over at him, her smile shrinking but no less warm--no less grateful.

“No, Doctor. I just need some sleep. The rest….” She trailed off and shook her head. “We’ll see.” The doors opened and they both stepped off, Bones once again allowing her to go ahead of him in a manner she was realizing wasn’t so that he could watch her, but because he was being a gentleman.

“How long have you been fighting this?” He asked as they walked through the corridors to her room. Addie blew out a puff of air and shrugged.

“As a people, since we lost our planet, to varying degrees. With me, here, personally...they sent me out when I was twenty-three, five years ago. I was able to stem some of the violence for a while, but it’s picked up again. All of our safety measures are being overcome. Nowhere is safe except down on the ocean floor, and I live in constant terror that one day they will find out how to get us there, too,” Addie admitted softly. Bones’ eyes widened in silent horror.

 

“They sent you out when you were twenty-three? Hell, you’re not even thirty! What were they thinkin’, putting something like this on your shoulders?” He demanded. Addie stopped and lifted both eyebrows in an expression that dripped haughty displeasure.

“They were thinking that they needed me. Desperately. I was young, yes, and this is hard, sometimes unbearably so, but here I am. Somehow bearing it. And understand, Leo: I may be the only boots on the ground ninety percent of the time, but I am not doing this alone. I am in constant contact with my family. I coordinate with the governors of our cities across the globe. I have their full support. My--” She stopped and swallowed. “My brothers were with me. And the rest of my family can come to me in a moment’s notice.” They stopped outside her door, and her defensiveness eased enough for her to take a real breath and relax. “What I’m trying to say is, this isn’t what they would have chosen for me. They aren’t to blame. If there was anyone who could have done it better, my parents would have sent them instead.”

Bones listened with a deep frown, gleaning more from her answer than Addie likely meant to share, but he didn’t point that out. Instead he nodded and gestured to her door with his chin.

“Get some sleep, Princess. If you have trouble, head down to the med bay and have them page me. I’ll find something that’ll do the trick.” Addie didn’t correct his use of ‘Princess’ and he smiled just a touch before he went on. “I’m not questioning your ability, darlin’. Trust me. A few hours with you and I know better than that already. I just hate that this is how you have to use it.” He nodded to her in a silent goodbye and backed away as his smile widened. “Goodnight, Addie.”  

Thoroughly disarmed, Addie’s face smoothed out and an almost-smile tugged sweetly at her lips, remaining even as she slipped out of her clothes and clambered into the bed. She was asleep within minutes.

When she did wake, it was on her own, which allowed her time to breathe and prepare for the day ahead. Leo’s words had settled her in ways she hadn’t anticipated: she _was_ trying to prove herself to Starfleet. She _was_ trying to defend her own capability. But she railed against the idea that she wasn’t enough for more reasons than simply wanting to ensure their induction: it was because for the last year, her faith in herself had been crumbling, and with the loss of her brother, it was (understandably) practically nonexistent. But as much as she wanted to drop everything and focus on her brother alone, she just couldn’t break; not with an entire planet’s oceans full of people for her to care for.

So she fought to ensure that others believed in her in the hopes that she could fake it long enough to relearn what it was to have confidence in herself.

Proper rest had given Addie a less anxiety-ridden view of this turn of events: Starfleet and the Federation were willing to help, and sure, maybe it had been a freakish coincidence that had brought them together when it had, but nevertheless Addie’s blunder had led to a chance they might not have had before even if they _had_ reached out on their own. There was hope in this, and at worst it would lead to an extra policing of the Federation citizens’ actions regarding her own people, which was more than it had been before. If she took herself out of the equation...that was a win.

At best they would be inducted and protected, which was definitely a win, and at the _very_ best...at the very best, by some miracle, they would be able to find Vali. Addie tried very hard not to think about the odds of that one. Instead she dressed, fed herself--the replicators weren’t exactly difficult to work, even if Bones had grumbled about the food being bland--and then waited for her summons with higher spirits than she’d had the day before. Addie didn’t have to wait long, a security officer chiming at her door, surprised when she was already dressed and ready to go. The walk back to the bridge was silent for a bit, but then the question Addie had really been hoping to avoid was finally brought out to play.

“Princess...is it true you’re a mermaid?” They asked. Addie sighed, but kept her eyes straight ahead.

“What has your captain told you?”

“Nothing, Your Majesty--”

“Highness,” Addie corrected, finally stopping to look at them. There was no anger or annoyance in her expression, merely business, and she clasped her hands before her politely. “I am a princess, therefore I should be referred to as ‘Your Highness’. ‘Your Majesty’ is reserved for kings and queens.” Addie offered them a very small smile. “If your Captain hasn’t given you any details of what happened on my planet, far be it from me to undermine him. Even to answer your question.” It was a pretty way of saying ‘I don’t want to’ that did not invite further questions, and the officer nodded and resumed their walk. Captain Kirk and Commander Spock were already in the room, looking at a projected map of the planet, with Bones looking grumpy off to one side. The grump lessened a little as Addie was ushered inside, pleased to see her at least somewhat rested, free of some of the weight she had carried the day before.

“Captain, Commander--Doctor,” Addie greeted them as the officer left, stepping forward to look at what they’d already programmed into their system. “This is us?” She pointed to the dot hovering outside the planet’s atmosphere.

“Yep. And we found you--”

“Here.” Addie pointed to a spot along the coastline. Jim’s eyebrows lifted, but he nodded.

“Yeah. About there. I’m assuming your city is close to this section of the coast?”

“More or less. City limits begin about...right here, though that area is more sparsely populated.” Addie pointed to the spot where it should lie, and even Spock lifted an eyebrow.

“That is _miles_ offshore, Princess.”

“Addie. And yes, it is, what did you expect? We’re trying to hide, not put out a welcome mat.” Green eyes met brown evenly, and Spock nodded to one side.

“A fair point, P--Addie.” Spock caught himself and Addie smiled, impish pleasure glittering in her eyes. “My surprise is in reference not to your peoples’ need for protection, but to the distance you must have traveled to reach that particular beach. What is your average rate of speed in your other form?”

“Pretty damn fast,” Was her non-answer, and neither doctor nor captain could keep from smiling to themselves.

“I mean did you see the size of her, Spock? She must have been about ten feet long,” Jim teased, and Bones leaned forward.

“And you didn’t have to carry her. Solid, streamlined muscle. Bet you swim, what, twenty miles an hour? Being lazy?” He cut in, lifting an eyebrow. To her surprise, Addie’s cheeks turned pink, the heat rising beneath her skin a sensation so rare she actually touched her cheek in confusion. The move puzzled the two fully-human men in the room, but Spock caught on instantly.

“Addie, I believe what you are experiencing is what is called ‘blushing’,” He explained, leaving Jim and Leo no less puzzled. “I assume it is not a natural function of your aquatic form?”

“No, Mr. Spock, it is not,” Addie agreed, turning redder.

“Are you embarrassed, Princess?” He pressed curiously. Addie dropped her hand and tilted her head to one side.

“Of what, Mr. Spock? Is there something in what they’ve said that I should be ashamed of?” The room went silent, then, Spock blinking in his own surprise, and Addie looked from doctor to captain. “Are you mocking me?”

“Of course not,” Bones denied immediately. “If anything, I’m impressed.” Addie nodded in acceptance and looked back over at Spock.

“I didn’t think so. Another hypothesis, perhaps?”

“I would assume, then, that you are...pleased,” Spock tried again, and this time Addie smiled wide. “Do you enjoy being a novelty?”

“No, Mr. Spock. I enjoy being impressive.” This time Spock awarded Addie one of his almost-smiles, even as Jim lifted his eyebrows and huffed out a laugh and Bones gave a slow shake of his head. “Now, I can swim from the outer limits to the shore in an hour, give or take, but by taking a shuttle down we won’t have to worry about your team’s ability to keep up. Upon return, if you are intending to bring me back to the ship with you for any reason, I suggest landing the shuttle...here.” She found the speck she was looking for and then zoomed in on her own, lifting everyone’s eyebrows except Spock’s, who had seen proof that she could handle their tech at the very least. “This is a small island nearer our city. Far too small to be inhabited, but just big enough to land a shuttle and give me a place to shift back into this body. It keeps you from having to bring all ten feet of me back up to the ship,” She added with a smile.

“And finding a place to keep ya if we did,” Bones agreed, clearly imagining it. “I don’t think they make fish tanks that big.” Addie snorted and rolled her eyes, and Jim and Spock shared a knowing look as Bones’ lips twitched, clearly pleased with himself.

“Well that’s settled, then. We can take a shuttle in and dive from there, shuttle can park on that island, and then we can explore. Sounds fun!” Jim interrupted their moment, finally allowing himself to get excited about going to see the goddamn capitol mer-city. Even Addie was still smiling, excitement and hope building like sparks within her.

The excitement died as the Captain was paged from the Bridge.

“Captain, we have a problem,” Sulu’s voice hailed them from Jim’s communicator. Jim’s smile vanished.

“What kind of problem?”

“A large craft just entered orbit from warp, Captain. It is unidentified and is currently deploying shuttles to the surface.”

Jim’s frown turned dangerously wary and he lifted those suddenly icy blue eyes up to pin Addie with a warning glare.

“ _What is this?_ ”

“Jim--”

“Doctor McCoy, this is between myself and the Princess, now _what is this_?” He demanded. Addie shook her head, the color draining out of her face.

“I don’t know, Captain,” She told him honestly, but his suspicion did not budge an inch.

“All three of you, with me. We’re going to go find out who our new friends are.” 


	4. Personal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Addie had thought losing her brother had been the worst thing she could imagine. She had never been more wrong.

The Bridge was abuzz with energy as the four entered, the crew hyper-focused on this new development. 

“Onscreen,” Jim commanded, settling himself in his chair. The unknown ship was brought up immediately, its design unfamiliar and yet nondescript, and Jim looked at Addie. “Recognize this?” He asked, tilting his head toward the image as another pair of shuttles exited its bay.

“No, Captain, I don’t. But I  _ will _ say we are not in the habit of graciously accepting surprise visits, and there is no innocent reason for them to be heading down to the  _ other _ inhabitants.”

“So you think they’re here for you?” Jim clarified, lifting a suspicious eyebrow. Addie worked her jaw and then swallowed.

“I’m saying I’m anxious, Captain,” She admitted, quieter. “And I’m requesting you send me down to my people until we know what this is.” Jim shook his head and looked back up at the screen.

“I’m not making any moves until we know if they’re hostile. Yellow Alert, Mr. Sulu. Do we have a read on what kind of heat they’re packing?”

“Negligible weapons at best, sir, as far as our sensors can tell.”

“Well keep your eye on it. Do we have an idea of where those shuttles are headed? And what they’re carrying?”

“Negative, Captain, our sensors are having difficulty reading anything from the shuttles except position.” Jim and Spock shared a look, and then the Captain took a moment to study the princess. She was stiff as a board, no color in her face, but those eyes were sharp and bright and her back was straight.

“Follow their trajectory, Mr. Sulu, and give us a guess.”

“It would seem they are headed toward a spot off the coast,” Sulu replied, and Addie’s eyes widened drastically even as Jim’s heart sank.

“How far off the coast?” Spock asked this time, tilting his head to one side in serious consideration.

“...The first shuttle appears to be hovering about two kilometers above the ocean, and approximately thirty-two kilometers from the shore, sir.”

_ “Send me down.”  _ Addie made her demand with wild eyes this time, panic squeezing painfully at her chest.

“We cannot beam you to the bottom of the ocean, Princess,” Spock denied this time. “There will be too much interference.”

“Then may I contact my city?” Addie tried, her brain tearing through all possible options.

“Absolutely not. I’m sorry, Princess, but I can’t allow you to do anything that might compromise the safety of my crew,” Jim refused, killing any other ideas that had sprung to mind instantly. It wasn’t easy to watch the woman realize she was utterly helpless in the face of this possible threat, not when so many in that room had experienced the same gutting realization many times: it was visible in the way her brows pulled together, worry and fear softening that panic as the fight went out of her and the princess forced herself to be still and wait.

Those beneath the surface were not so helpless, after all. Her brother knew as much as she did. Her people knew their protocols, monitored their warning systems, protected each other fiercely. She just hoped they were paying attention now.

“Captain, the shuttles seem to be forming a kind of hexagonal matrix over the surface,” Sulu said, confusion twisting his own features. Addie’s face darkened with suspicious recognition and she took an uncertain step forward.

“Lieutenant, are you monitoring the energy output of the shuttlecraft?” Everyone stopped and looked at her, even Sulu, who threw a questioning glance at both she and the captain. Kirk nodded and he turned back around, eyes searching his readouts.

“They...what? How is that possible?”

“How is  _ what _ possible?” Kirk demanded, sitting forward in his chair.

“Their energy output is  _ massive, _ Captain, they seem to be com--”

“Completing the matrix with energy beams with a power no shuttlecraft should be able to harness,” Addie finished for him, her eyes fixed open wide, the panic returning in full force. “No, nononono--Captain,  _ please _ .  _ Please _ send me down,  _ please _ !” She was literally begging, her hands curled into fists.

“Red alert, Mr. Sulu, now  _ you _ \--tell me what the hell is going on!”

“It is a weapon formation of our own design,” Addie breathed weakly. “I don’t know how they have it--I don’t--if my people don’t get out--”

“Captain, we’re reading a tremendous spike--”

“Captain, the planet’s surface is registering unusual seismic activity from the same location--”

People spoke over each other all over the room and Addie’s head snapped back and forth from voice to voice, heart racing, adrenaline and terror making her slender body quake violently.

_ “No,  _ **_NO!”_ ** Agony ripped through Ádís and she screamed out her denial as her knees slowly gave way, each voice seeming to scream even louder in her head.

“We are reading signs of a potential tsunami--”

_ “Send me down!” _

“Rapid drawback registering along the coastline--”

**_“SEND ME DOWN!”_ **

“Doctor McCoy, get Addie under control! Sedate her if you have to!” Jim barked. “Mr. Spock--” Jim turned to look at him and fell silent. The commander was watching Addie with the same expression on his face that he’d worn when they’d beamed him back on board from Vulcan without his mother, eyes fixed, not even blinking, and it was then that Jim realized the princess had never needed to make it personal. Not for Bones, and not for Spock--and not for him.

It already was.

_ “Mr. Spock,” _ Jim tried again, his voice firm. Spock tore his eyes away from the princess and visibly pulled himself back into the moment. “I need you to work whatever magic you can and figure out what the hell is left down there, do you understand?” Spock gave a single nod and strode back to one of the computer terminals and the captain lifted his voice for the rest of the Bridge crew. “Watch and record every detail you can about the state of the planet’s crust and its oceans and anything else going on even if you don’t think it’s relevant. I want to know what the hell we just watched.”

Kneeling on the floor before Addie, Bones was in an entirely different world. One surprisingly strong hand clutched the front of his uniform like a life raft and held him down where the princess could stare at him, shocked to the point of dissociation, tears streaming down her blanked face.

“They’re all dead,” She murmured, still shaking even if she didn’t seem to notice anymore. “My brother is dead. My friends are dead. My people are dead.”  

“Now you don’t know that,” He denied firmly, gently easing her hand away from his shirt. She allowed it without blinking, and did not bother to question the fact that he then held her hand in both of his.

“I do know that.” Addie’s voice was so robotic it couldn’t even be considered an argument. “That was a Hex.” Jim began to listen, then, and at his station Spock stilled so that he could hear her, too.

“What’s a Hex?”

“It’s a stamp.” She took her free hand and mimicked smashing something into the ground. “Compression.”

“Compression? Compression of what?” Jim cut in, and Bones shot him a warning glare. Jim had asked for her to be calm, but she’d gone all the way to the other end of the scale the moment Leo had turned her face to his and tried to get her to focus on him, fading beneath the weight of that destruction.

“Addie, darlin’, why don’t we talk about something else,” Leo suggested gently, hoping to work her back into some middle ground. “All right?” She nodded, and he gave her hand a squeeze. “Can you feel that?”

“Feel what?” She looked down and then pulled her chin back in surprise. “You’re still touching me.”

“That’s a no,” Bones grumbled, and backtracked. “How about this. Addie, what color are my eyes?” She looked up at him and blinked, forcing herself to focus, and then blinked again when the answer registered.

“They’re green like mine,” She replied, unaware of the voices announcing the retreat of the shuttlecraft and Jim’s order to hail the other ship.

“Not quite like yours,” Leo denied with a bemused almost-smile. “Got a little brown in ‘em too.”

“Yes, they do,” She agreed, frowning as she really  _ looked _ at him. “They’re lovely.” Bones cleared his throat and then cast a glance around the room, hoping to god no one had heard that, and then he watched Addie follow his track around the room as awareness came back to her. “I should have been there, Leo,” She whispered, but before the doctor could answer Uhura’s voice finally caught Addie’s attention.

“Captain, the other ship is responding to our hails.”

“Onscreen.”

Bones moved quickly out of the way so that both he and Addie could see, but it made little difference. The person who appeared on the screen was a complete stranger to the princess, let alone anyone else on board. Kirk settled himself a little straighter, glaring at the woman projected before them.

“I am Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the USS Enterprise. You have just attacked a city of innocent people in cold blood. Identify yourself.” The woman didn’t answer immediately, instead allowing her eyes to wander over the occupants of the room. They stopped on Addie and a dark smirk curled her lips.

“You must be one of Torin’s. Or--no, no, my mistake. You’re one of  _ Llyr’s _ . I would know those eyes anywhere.” Addie’s hand was still in one of Leo’s and as she tightened her grip, so too did he, a silent offer of support.

“You didn’t answer me,” Kirk cut in, keeping his face carefully devoid of surprise. It wasn’t difficult: fury sat hot and bitter in his stomach and it was nice to have something to aim it at.

“And I won’t. You are not worthy to speak to me. I will speak with my princess.”

“I am  _ not _ your princess!” Addie snapped, and the woman merely smiled.

“Ah, but you are. You just don’t know me yet. My true name, as is yours, is unpronounceable by those who do not speak  _ our _ language. But instead, you may refer to me as Eris.” Addie’s eyes drank in the woman on the screen, quick and precise: long, thick brown hair, rich brown eyes, creamy skin….

Addie had no idea who she was, even still.

“What the hell do you want,” Addie growled, pushing herself to her feet, that same bitter anger taking root in her and giving her the strength to look Eris in the eye. Leo stood behind her, but he kept his hands off.

“For our people to recognize, once more, that we are superior to these vermin who crawl in the dirt,” Eris answered easily, and Addie’s lip drew up in a snarl. “You can’t tell me you don’t feel the same, Princess. Even when they are no match they feed upon you like wolves.”

“There were a million people in that city,” Addie ground out between clenched teeth. “How is killing us meant to help us?”

“I have your attention.” Eris let that hang. “Tell your father and your uncle I wish to speak with them. They will know who I am. And if the next million people are not enough of an incentive….” She waved at someone offscreen and two men were marched in, one tall and proud and defiant with yellow eyes, and the other small and scrawny with bright blue eyes and dark curls. Addie let out a broken gasp as if someone had just slid a blistering knife between her ribs and covered her lips with her hand. “I think they’ll do the trick. Tell your family they have forty-eight hours from the end of this transmission, my princess.” And with that the screen went blank, the ship disappearing from all sensors. Addie’s knees turned to jelly once more and Leo caught her, easing her down to the floor carefully.

“Addie?” Jim was the first person to break the silence that fell as she’d sunk down and tucked her head between her knees, breathing short and shallow but controlled, fingers tangled painfully tight in her own hair.

“I don’t know.” It was all Addie had. “I don’t know who she is.”

“But she’s one of you.”

“She must be.” Still Addie did not lift her head.

“Addie...those were your brothers, were they not?” Even Spock’s voice held a note of gentleness, and rather than answer aloud, she nodded. “They are alive, then,” He continued. “There is still...some hope.”

“Yes,” Addie replied, finally lifting her head. “But a million people are not. A million people under my care...and there was nothing I could do.” She pushed herself to her feet as if she weighed several tons, and it twisted something deep and painful inside all three of the men who had saved her to see utter defeat written on her face. “I’m going to contact my family, and then my governors. After that I am requesting again, Captain, that you send me down to the coastline at least. I...I must coordinate with the rest of my people and decide how best to handle the dead.”

“How can you be sure that there is no one left alive among the damage?” Spock asked. Addie stopped and looked up at him.

“It is a weapon based upon compression. It generates enough controlled force to compress water into such a high density that it puts a crater in the surface of the planet beneath in seconds. It was developed during a time when our people warred amongst themselves, but that was more than a thousand years ago.”

“Compressing water? That would require--”

“Enough pressure to make the water boil. But it happens so quickly that the water is reverted back to its natural state almost instantly, leaving behind victims who are both crushed and seared.”

_ “Jesus.”  _ Bones wasn’t the only one who swore, several voices joining him in quiet exclamations of horror and alarm, and Addie’s gaze dropped to the ground.

“I can’t help but wonder if she was there when it was created,” The princess murmured. That had been the main point of contention when their people had fought so viciously: a faction who wanted the glory of conquest and people who only wanted to live in peace. Spock tilted his head to one side even as both Jim and Leonard lifted an eyebrow.

“You said that was more than a thousand years ago,” Spock said. Addie nodded evenly and Spock frowned. “How long do members of your species live?”

“It’s complicated, Mr. Spock,” Addie sighed, rubbing her eyes with her thumb and forefinger. “And I have more pressing things to worry about. Captain, permission to be dismissed.”

“You--uh--yeah,” Jim fumbled, torn between wanting to tell her she didn’t need his permission to be dismissed and wanting to send her with an escort--and then doing neither. Addie nodded and left the Bridge, and the people who remained looked to the captain to see what in the world they were supposed to do next.

When the princess did make it back to her room she settled herself in the chair before the monitor and...breathed. For several minutes that was all she did, breathing through the panic that tried to claw its way up her throat, breathing through the nausea that sat heavy in her stomach, through the tears that burned at the back of her throat and twisted her lips and sat hot just at the edge of her lashes. Only when all of those things were reduced to something she could manage did she connect just as she’d done the night before. This time the only person in that room was a different large, blonde man with her little brother’s same twinkling blue eyes and her own striking white-gold hair.

“Addie?” He sat up straight and set his book off to one side, concern darkening those blue eyes. “What happened? What’s wrong?” Because it was clear in the absolute deadness of her own eyes that something had indeed gone horribly wrong. “Is it--?”

“My entire city is in ruins.”

_ “What?” _

“My entire city is in ruins,” Addie repeated with little more inflection than she’d used before. He stood and crossed the room to see her more clearly, a new intensity taking over him. “Daidí….” It took her a moment to continue, but no matter how hard she tried to swallow it all back down the tears, at least, refused to be gotten rid of. “A woman who calls herself Eris came to my planet and destroyed Aphelion in one strike. She used a  _ Hex.” _

“Oh, babydoll,” Her dad exclaimed softly. “Oh, Addie--” He stopped and looked down at what she knew would be the controls, summoning her father and uncle with a siren-like whistle that would be projected through every inch of their city, an alarm that signaled for everyone else to scramble as much as it brought the nation’s Kings to their palace. “Where is your brother? Was he with you?” He went on once that was taken care of. Addie shook her head but held up a finger at the pain that filled her father’s eyes so that she could clear her throat.

“Sunshine and Wheezy are both alive,” She ground out, but her stomach twisted guiltily at the relief that leeched the tension out of her Daidí. “Eris has them both.” She heard footsteps, then, bare feet on stone, and her other two parents came into view still tying sarongs about their waists, long, dark hair dripping down their chests and backs.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Llyr demanded, even as his brother called the same question from back in the hallway. “Kee? Addie?” Llyr looked back and forth between husband and daughter in wary concern, but Addie waited for Torin to come into the picture to answer.

“Eris.” It was all she said, and yet it was clearly all she needed to say: Llyr’s face drained of color just like Addie’s did and Torin’s face hardened into something hot and murderous.

“What has she done?” Llyr pressed, looking very much like he did not want the answer.

“She Hexed Aphelion,” Addie replied, finding it sickeningly much easier to say it what felt like the millionth time around. “It’s gone. I haven’t been down to check the ruins yet, but I am not holding out hope.”

“Our alarms should have signalled for shelter to be taken, my love. There is always hope.”

“Shelter? From a  _ Hex? _ What shelter could there possibly be? She crushed the surface of the  _ planet.” _

“Do you really think we allowed something like that to be created without finding some way to minimize the damage?” Llyr replied gently. “What of your brother? Have you not heard anything from him?”

“She’s taken them. Both of them,” Addie replied, her guilt doubling at the look on her eldest parent’s face.

“She wants something from us, then,” Torin growled, flexing his hands in and out of fists like he longed to have something heavy in them.

“She wants us to take our place as conquerors,” Addie responded bitterly. “And in order to secure your ear she’s threatening both the twins and another Hex.”

“I assume she left an ultimatum?” Llyr drawled sarcastically, fury darkening his own emerald eyes.

“Yes. You’ve got..forty-seven hours and forty-five minutes, give or take a few.” The kings nodded even as her other two parents frowned at each other: they weren’t nearly as old as the kings, and didn’t have any experience with Eris, either, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that this was very, very bad.

“Go down to the city, Addie,” Llyr ordered quietly. “Search the shelters, search the wreckage. Honor the dead, but do not be surprised if you do find survivors. More people have survived those Hexes than you realize.” Llyr looked at his brother and Torin lifted his eyebrows and nodded.

“I survived. I was gravely injured and burned, but with care I obviously came through. We are made to withstand a lot, Addie, you remember that.”

“You are doing so well, my darling,” Llyr added softly. “We will fix this. Keep doing what you’re doing, hold your head high, and know that we are proud of you.”

This time the transmission was ended before Addie could whistle, but that was probably for the best: her father’s last words had choked her up again and she could barely breathe, let alone whistle. Behind her a voice cleared its throat and she jumped, whirling around in her seat to find Dr. McCoy standing there awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

“Sorry to interrupt, Princess, but you didn’t answer your door and this is...pretty serious,” He explained. Addie’s eyebrows knit together and she stood instinctively--so fast that he held both hands up. “Not life-threatening,” He assured her. “Eris hasn’t returned or anything, no one else has been attacked. Jim--the captain’s still considering agreeing to induct your people into the Federation,” He explained, lowering his hands as Addie relaxed. “But he wants to go down to the wreckage first. Wants to see if there’s any survivors and help them if we can, and then move on from there.”

“Are you serious?” Addie breathed, disbelief thick on her face. They’d just been destroyed by a madwoman with weapons of mass destruction in front of the captain’s very eyes, the smartest thing to do would be to put her back in the water and get the hell out of there.

“I’m not a liar, darlin’,” Leo replied with a slight smile, and Addie’s eyes fell closed with astonished relief. “Now, I uh--I heard your conversation. Or at least the ending, there, and...if your Pa believes it’s worth a look, we’re gonna believe him. Jim’s already working through the logistics. If that island wasn’t completely wiped out by that tsunami, we can use it as a bridge point, but we’re still gonna need your help. Like I said earlier, we don’t have fish tanks big enough for all of ya.”

“I could kiss you, Leo,” Addie breathed, breaking into a watery smile. Leo smiled and lifted an eyebrow.

“If that’s how your people say thank you, I’m gonna have to rethink life up here in space,” He teased, and Addie shook her head, her smile becoming a coy grin.

“Not my people,” She corrected, life finally returning to those pretty green eyes. “Just me.”

“Even better,” Leo replied, his voice taking on a hint of a growl. It sent a shiver down Addie’s spine and spots of pink appeared across the tops of her cheeks; she forced herself into some semblance of professional composure and crossed the room to the door, bright eyes sparkling up at him.

“Let’s see if we find any survivors first. There’s no harm in racking up a few thank yous to make good on,” She murmured, stepping past him only when his own gaze went dark and hot. Jim would never let Leonard hear the end of it if she meant it, but good god it had to be worth it if she did.

There was a different sort of tension between doctor and princess as they moved through the ship, pleasant and a little surprising (for those two, if not for captain and commander); but though that playfulness certainly reminded Addie that she truly wasn’t drowning slowly beneath it all, she refused to allow herself to give it more than a sliver of her focus. Now was not the time for another misstep.

“Oh, good, Princess,” Jim greeted them as they entered the Bridge, peering around Spock at a handheld display. “Have you contacted your governors yet?”

“I have not, Captain, Dr. McCoy collected me before I was able to make the call.”

“Excellent! I want you to do it here. We’re devoting the ship’s resources to helping in any way we can, and if they have questions about me, well, who better than to answer them than me.” Jim gestured for her to stand beside his chair, but Addie held up a finger for him to wait.

“With all due respect, Captain, I would like to assist Lt. Uhura in connecting to my people’s emergency network. It requires codes I won’t be passing on to  _ anyone.” _

It wasn’t personal.

“By all means.” Jim sat himself down to wait while Spock came and peeked over Addie’s shoulder as she patched in, adjusting settings as needed, one eyebrow lifted high in fascination.

“There, that should do the trick. Now all you need to do is open a channel like you normally would.” Addie offered Uhura a warm smile and then slipped back to stand beside the Captain, smoothing her clothes out and drawing herself up to her full height, princess mode fully engaged.

“Lt. Uhura, open the channel. Princess Ádís, whenever you’re ready,” Jim allowed, flashing her an encouraging smile. Addie nodded, swallowed, drew in a deep breath, and then began not with words, but with a high, mournful whistle.

“Captain, we have several stations responding to the hail,” Uhura said just loud enough for Kirk to hear.

“Onscreen, every one of them,” He replied, and settled himself, too. One by one faces appeared on screen in rapid succession, some ‘human’ and others following similar shapes to Addie’s other form in every color of the rainbow and plenty more in between. As each new governor appeared and set eyes on the princess they bowed their heads, crossing one arm over their chest just as Spock had seen the cyan creature do the day before.

It needled oddly at his middle when the commander realized the creature he’d seen the day before was likely dead somewhere at the bottom of the ocean.

“I’m sure there have been rumors passed round in the last half hour regarding Aphelion and the emergency protocols that were put into effect,” Ádís began, stepping forward automatically. It may have been Kirk’s ship, but these were  _ her _ subjects. “I would love to tell you that this was a drill, or a false alarm. But unfortunately I am unable to offer you--or myself--that comfort.” Murmurs and alien coos filled the room and Addie lifted a hand for silence. “Not even an hour ago Aphelion was attacked by a renegade terrorist who calls herself Eris.” Most did not seem to recognize the name, but the few who did flew into an uproar, signing and singing and speaking over each other at once.

“ _ Enough _ ,” Addie silenced them, lifting her voice into a ringing command. Even the Bridge seemed to go strangely still. “She struck the capitol with a Hexagonal Compression Bomb. As of yet I have not been able to make my way down. I have, however, been in contact with the Kings and told them of the attack. From this point forward I am asking anyone who is able to send aid as quickly as you can. Behind me sits Captain James Tiberius Kirk, of the USS Enterprise, from whose Bridge I am addressing you. I was here in talks of a Federation alliance when the attack occurred. They have very generously offered to aid me in rescue and recovery attempts in the strike zone, but their resources are limited in the way of caring for our most vulnerable. That is why I need your cooperation in building teams for cleanup, for burial, and for housing and care for anyone who was able to make it out of the strike zone or into a proper shelter in time.”

“And what are the odds of that, Princess?” A woman spoke up, skeptical and clearly unnerved.

“There are odds,” Ádís replied firmly. “And that is enough. Furthermore I am immediately suspending all trade and travel between cities until further notice. I want every shelter inspected, every protocol examined. You will put yourselves on high alert and be wary of  _ anything _ that might prove to be an attack. Eris is not finished with us. She has made that very clear.”

“And what are we supposed to tell our citizens?”

“The truth, Governor,” Addie addressed the next person to speak up. “Eris has decimated a city home to over a million people. No one in your own cities will remain untouched by this tragedy. In light of that fact, any falsehoods or padding will only be a slap in the face.”

“And what of those who wish to leave the cities for homesteads and villages? Will travel be banned for them, too?”

“There will be no ban on those returning  _ home _ . But it must be impressed upon everyone that fleeing from one place to the next will not minimize their risk of being caught in a future attack. It may be your town, it may be another. It may be this planet, it might be someplace light years from here. A mass exodus  _ will _ draw attention and she  _ will _ strike where she can do the most harm. The most important thing, here, is that we remain calm. We  _ cannot _ panic. It is good and right to be afraid,” Addie paused and let that sink in, “But we should not allow ourselves to give in to the fear or else our people will suffer for it. Lean upon each other. Lean upon me. Eris  _ will. Be. Dealt with _ . But until that time, we must keep cool heads and work together. I aim to lead the first first search and rescue party out within the next two hours. I will remain in the city as a point of contact for anyone who can reach us in that time or after.”

Addie looked over at Kirk, then.

“Captain, would you allow these people to contact me here?” She asked quietly.

“Absolutely. This channel will be monitored and any messages or questions that Princess Ádís receives will be passed along to her as quickly as possible. I am sorry that there was not more we could do to stop this, but we will do our best to make this process as...smooth as possible.” He was going to say painless, but he could tell by the looks on their faces that that wording was just...not quite right. Not this time.

“Thank you, Captain. Is there anything else?” Addie turned to her governors once more and looked at each of them for for a pair of heartbeats, making sure she missed nothing, making sure they knew they were seen.

“What does she want?” One finally asked after they whistled for Addie’s attention, signing, bright violent skin glinting gold beneath their lights. Addie sighed heavily.

“What I suspect she has always wanted, Alanna. Dominion.”

“And your brothers?” Another one spoke aloud this time, and Addie’s calm mask faltered.

“Taken by Eris.” Another, softer rustle whispered through the faces on the screen, but Addie didn’t buckle beneath it. The shock was fading and rage was building beneath it, filling the spaces it left behind.

“I am sorry, Your Highness,” Alanna signed, and Addie offered her a small, sad smile.

“My brothers are strong, as are we. I have faith in my family and our kings, and I have faith in all of you. Now when I end this transmission I expect all non-essential dealings to be suspended and your efforts redirected to disaster relief until further notice. Be proactive about the spread of information and remember, I cannot stress to you enough how important it is to dispel lies, panic and rumors immediately. I will be in contact.” This time it was Addie who crossed her fist over her chest and bowed her head, and then she turned and nodded to Kirk.

“End transmission,” Jim ordered, watching Addie thoughtfully. “That was a hell of a speech. Did you make that up yourself, or…?” He teased, and she smiled dryly.

“I’ve been giving speeches since I was ten. You figure it out after a while.”

“Jesus, they made you start that early?”

“...No,” She admitted with a guilty smile. “I asked them to start me that early.” Jim’s head fell back and he laughed,  _ loudly _ , the sound lifting the tense cloud that had settled over the room.

“Now why am I not surprised?” He laughed, shaking his head. Addie’s own smile widened, and even allowing herself that simple expression felt like a breath of fresh air, or cool water rippling against her scales after an extended period in her ‘human’ form. Jim stood and placed his hands on his hips, seriousness returning to his face--but without quite the same heaviness that had accompanied watching Addie’s screaming figure sink to her knees as she realized what Eris had done.

The captain couldn’t deny that he would have done much the same, had he been forced to watch his crew be slaughtered in front of him.

“Now you said we are without the resources to properly care for your most vulnerable,” He went on more quietly. “That sounds like you have an idea of who might have survived.”

“Yes, Captain,” Addie replied, her smile fading. “You see, when our sirens are initiated, there are shelters for our people to run to. Set deep into the ocean floor, reinforced with the strongest materials we can find or craft, and built with several levels. And these levels are filled with an unspoken agreement that the lowest levels must always be filled with our children first.”

What life had been breathed back into the room evaporated with the princess’ last sentence.

_ “Children?” _


	5. Aphelion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joined by Spock, Bones, and Uhura, Addie leads the way down to the ruins of the capitol city in search of survivors--and with the fragile hope that, if they are lucky, they can find the one substance that holds the key to their survival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's already in the archive warning, but as a general head's up, this chapter is graphic.

“Yes, Captain, children,” Addie repeated with a frown. “We’re not sponges, we don’t reproduce by budding. If anyone has survived, chances are it will be our youngest.”

“Right, yes, sorry--I just. Children. The legends don’t talk about that,” Jim replied, looking vaguely shocked.

“Of course not,” Addie drawled, her expression dripping disapproval. “They neither kill nor seduce.” Both Jim and Leonard shifted uncomfortably--she wasn’t _wrong_ \--and Bones moved them right along.

“Assuming these children are injured, what sort of facilities would we need to care for them? If they shift--”

“They can’t shift, Doctor,” Addie cut him off quietly. “From birth until the time they are weaned our young remain in a humanoid form, but from the moment they hit the water they remain in their aquatic form until they mature enough to control such a change. If a change is forced it can be detrimental to their health.”

“Shit.”

“Yes.”

“So we really are gonna need tanks, huh.”

“Filled with sand and seawater, yes.”

“I’ll get Spock and Scotty started on it. We can use cargo bays as temporary medical facilities and replicate the materials we need. About how big are we gonna need to make these?” Jim cut in. “How many to a tank?”

“If these kids have been crushed and burned, Jim, I’m only putting one to a tank,” Bones answered for her. “I want those bays to be kept warm and I want that water to stay at the same temperature as their ocean. Spock are you hearin’ me?” He lifted his voice, and Spock blinked.

“It is easier to make note of when I cannot hear you, Doctor,” Spock returned, earning himself a glare. “Addie, I will need appropriate dimensions before we begin assembling these tanks.”

The next hour was spent planning. Addie tapped into Aphelion’s city plans from a neighboring city’s database and they plotted their approach, shelters highlighted and made into the central focus; Scotty was given the information he needed to start without the Vulcan and captain and commander began putting together their initial drop team. A medical team would be beamed to the island first, with nurses and a few doctors setting up a triage area as best they could with as little experience as they had with anything _remotely_ like this; search and rescue would be coming along behind, giving them time to settle in before (gods willing) they found any survivors, and those who were not in dire need of attention would be put on shuttles to stagger their arrivals rather than be beamed directly to the ship.

“Now you must remember, Captain, you and anyone who goes in with me, that I can no longer communicate as effectively with you once I have shifted to my aquatic form,” Addie reminded Jim as they finished up the final details. The captain pursed his lips in thought, but he was rescued from solving that particular mystery by Lt. Uhura.

“Captain, I’m fluent in ASL. I watched them speak, I know it isn’t exactly the same but I believe it’s close enough for us to make some headway. Take me with you.”

“With you?” Spock cut in. “I do not remember establishing that the captain would be leaving the ship.”

“Of course I am, Spock, I’m not sitting this one out.”

“With all due respect, Captain, I believe it is imperative that you do.” Spock and Kirk stared at each other, one face blankly firm, the other baffled.

“Imperative? Why the hell is it _imperative?”_

“In the case that Eris does return sooner than she stated, it is the captain’s duty to protect his ship. And it is my duty,” Spock added, tilting his head to one side, “To see that the ship’s captain is also protected.”

“Oh _come on,”_ Jim snapped, exasperation pouring out of him, but Addie was looking at Spock with careful consideration. “What, you agree with him too?”

“He has a point, Captain,” She replied easily. “If I had not remained on the ship like you made me I would be bone dust and scales drifting beneath the waves by now. But more than that, is he not your science officer?”

“This is search and rescue, _Princess_ , not research.”

“Perhaps not, but his eye will be trained in noticing things that yours are not. And physically, he is stronger.” Addie stepped away from the group, then. “I want Mr. Spock. Comply or do not, but I believe that he will be exceedingly valuable.”

“He’s from the _desert!”_ Jim called after her, watching her leave to inspect the cargo bay. He turned back to Spock and met those steady brown eyes, ready to fight, but he deflated after a matter of heartbeats. “Fine. Go. And keep an eye on her, will ya? I’m starting to think she’s insane.”

“Yes, Captain,” Spock agreed, but the corners of his eyes crinkled just so, soothing Jim more than he cared to show.

Leo fell in with Addie on her way down, a grim frown on his face, and he eyed her sideways with an even deeper frown. They both stepped into the turbolift, only to be hailed and then joined by Spock.

“What’s the matter, Doctor?” Addie asked, not remotely ignorant of that _look_.

“Yesterday you told me it would take at least two days for your other form to heal completely.”

“Yes I did.”

“Are you gonna be okay down there? Is this too soon?”

“It’s a little late for that, Leo,” She responded, looking up the several inches between them to meet his gaze. “And besides. There is no one else who can lead your people to, and through, Aphelion.”

“Yeah, but--”

“No ‘buts’, Doctor. It has to be me. And I will be fine.” Bones shared a skeptical look with Spock and shook his head.

“Why does she sound exactly like Jim when she says that,” He grumbled, and Spock’s lips twitched for a fraction of a second. “If you find out you’re not fine, Princess, you come right on out of that water and come see me, you hear me?”

“I’m not coming back out of that water, Doctor, until I am certain there is no one left in that city to be saved,” Addie refused stubbornly. “You can patch me up after.”

“After everyone else, you mean,” Leo drawled, lifting one eyebrow in an infuriatingly knowing expression.

“That is exactly what I mean,” Addie snapped, and when the turbolift doors opened to where they needed to be she stalked off with a haughty set to her shoulders. Bones took a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose before he said anything else, and when he did, it was with another sour look at Spock.

“Gonna have to spend the rest of the afternoon figuring out what we did to deserve two of ‘em.”

“Alright Princess,” Scotty called from across the cargo bay, waving her over to a corner. “Come take a look at what we’ve got.” What they had was a clear tank, four feet deep, six feet long and four feet wide. “We figure we can manage ta fill them with about a foot or so o’ sand like ya said, and the rest with water. We’ve got someone programming the correct ratios for your oceans’ water into the replicators as I speak.”

“And temperature control?” Addie asked as she walked around the tank, trailing her fingers over the sides.

“Well, see, that’s the thing,” Scotty began, and Addie stopped and stared with a frown that was uncomfortably intense. She was a little sick of hearing about _the thing._ “Not that we cannae do it,” He backtracked, holding his hands up. “I’m just not sure about the best way. I thought about circulatin’ the water, but I dinnae want their wee little fins and fingers gettin’ caught up in some kind o’ machinery.” Addie’s face softened and she looked back down at the tank.

“If we had more time….” She shook her head. “I can only suggest heat lamps, but gods only know how many we may or may not find. What I will tell you is we _will_ want to be able to control the temperature in both directions if at all possible, Mr. Scott.”

Scotty nodded and frowned at the tank for just a moment more before he shook his head.

“Alright, well. We’ll work on it while you’re under. _You_.” He pointed at Spock and then again at Uhura as she stepped into the room, waving her over with two fingers. “We’ve retrofitted diving masks with cameras and transmitters. We’ll be able to see everything you see. There’ll be a microphone and an earpiece as well, but I can’t promise those’ll be much good for anyone but all of you at a certain depth. Which reminds me: you’ll be damned deep down there, a lot of pressure on your wee biped bodies. _Be careful._ I canne beam ya back up from down there and we don’ wanna have ta rescue any o’ you, too.”

“He’s right,” McCoy spoke up, looking away from his own inspection of the prototype tank. “Addie’s body is made for that depth. Pay attention to your bodies and don’t push yourselves so hard you can’t come back from it. I’ve had about enough of that.” The doctor directed a pointed look Spock--and another one at Addie. “Now come on, we oughta suit up.”

“You’re coming?” Addie piped up in surprise. “I thought the captain wanted to keep you here.”

“Not yet. I’m coming down until we start bringing people back up to the ship.” And he looked about as thrilled about the prospect as he would about the idea of someone force-feeding him spiders. Addie’s lips twitched once, but she nodded silently nonetheless as Scotty passed out the diving suits and sent them on their way. When they reconvened in a shuttle Addie was the first one on--she didn’t exactly need a diving suit, after all--and studied each person curiously as they came in, taking in each modification humans had to layer over themselves to give their bodies even a fraction of the agility and speed her people had in the water. She could see why Leo had given his suit such a withering glare when she saw them on Spock and Uhura: their skin tight fit had to be uncomfortable to say the least.

Of course, when the doctor finally stepped into the shuttle Addie’s mouth went entirely dry: she didn’t so much mind that tight fit across his chest and shoulders. _Or thighs…._

Leonard cleared his throat and Addie jumped, realizing she’d been staring fixedly at him for far longer than she could pretend to pass off as curiosity, and her face erupted into a darker blush than she knew she’d ever blushed before.

He hated that diving suit a little bit less as he sat down.

Between Leo smirking to himself on one side and Addie biting down on both lips in embarrassment on the other, Spock and Nyota shared a fondly exasperated look as a handful of other crew members met them in the shuttle. The embarrassment faded a few minutes after they’d left, and Addie decided to divulge one of the other reasons she’d been so interested in having Spock come along.

“Commander,” She began, folding her hands in her lap so that she didn’t start twisting her fingers: this was information she didn’t share lightly. Spock looked up and lifted an eyebrow.

“How can I be of service, Princess?”

“If at any point we make it close enough to the city’s center and I see there may be some way of digging in to one of our labs—” That eyebrow quirked higher— “There is something I need you to help me look for.”

“And what might that be?”

“...Suffice it to say our people isolated the gene responsible for our enhanced healing capabilities a long time ago, and if we can find what I’m looking for, it will make this process much, much easier.”

“And what you are looking for is?” Spock pressed, refusing to let her gloss over that. Addie’s fingers twitched and she tightened her hands.

“A synthetic compound that jumpstarts and mimics the regenerative processes our bodies undergo with an extended change. Total rapid cellular regeneration,” She admitted finally, her neck and shoulders tense.

“Total—” Spock stopped himself and studied Addie with great interest, his head tilting to one side. “Princess, when you said you wondered if Eris was around when the Hex was in its heyday—”

“Yes,” Addie cut him short stiffly. “ _Yes_.” Yes, because she knew where his mind was going and she didn’t want him to puzzle through that path out loud. Better to acknowledge the truth for the few paying attention and hopefully keep that secret safe.

The entire universe didn’t need to know her people held the key to a theoretical eternity.

“If we find it, I think it may be possible to dilute it and use it to speed up healing for those who cannot shift,” Addie explained quietly, attempting to move them in a slightly different direction. Even Leo and Uhura were staring fixedly at her: the doctor hadn’t made the leap yet, not having all of the information, and Nyota had been given even less. The Princess was saved, however, by the pilot’s announcement that they had arrived at the designated drop zone. Addie stood as two unfamiliar crew members triggered the hatch on the side, but again Leo cleared his throat and stopped her.

“What?”

“Princess, don’t you think you should go last?” He asked pointedly. Addie stared at him for a moment, utterly bewildered, until she realized what he was worried about and snorted.

“No, Doctor, I don’t.” She looked around the room, then. “If any of you are uncomfortable with nudity, I suggest you avert your gaze,” She announced, and then proceeded to strip out of the top and skirt she’d been given and step, unashamedly bare, up to the edge.

Just like that she tipped forward into a free fall, pulling her hands above her head to break the water just in time. Once her head and shoulders broke the surface Addie felt that familiar compulsion take over and leaned happily into it: it wasn’t shaking and grotesque, this time, it was freedom, an explosion, a release—her body shot out of itself, fins and spines stretching back out into existence, leg bones softening, ribs extending as her hips and ribcage narrowed into the same long, powerful, serpentine creature the captain and his doctor and commander had seen not two days ago.

And had her fins not been riddled with tears, it would have been bliss.

Fully transformed, Addie rose to the surface and waved the next divers down, wishing for the life of her that she could see their faces more clearly though the full, helmet-like masks they wore. Once everyone was in the water—Spock was the last one to come splashing into the ocean—Addie held up a thumb and the shuttle took off for the island to wait. With everyone on the same plane (most) everyone’s shock was palpable, but Addie beckoned them forward and dove beneath the surface rather than give them too much time to ogle. The princess swam as slowly as she could manage, having been warned by McCoy that human bodies needed time to adjust to the changing pressure, but even with the tiny jets on their legs propelling them forward Addie had to double back in her eagerness to get down to the bottom.

The deeper they dove, the darker it became, and eventually the lights built into their masks flickered on and Addie’s pupils dilated, the seafoam green inner eyelid peeling back now that her eyes didn’t need the added protection. That also meant that when she did happen to look at someone head on the first time she cringed and threw her hand over her eyes in instant pain. Hands lifted immediately to cover their lights and Addie tentatively tried again: she looked back up at Uhura and attempted to make it clear that they were close to the bottom.

And to the carnage.

“We’re close,” Nyota translated seriously. “Keep an eye out.”  

That was only the first time Addie had to stop short. The second time she pulled back, closed her eyes, and plugged her nostrils with her fingers. She shuddered visibly and took a moment to collect herself, and when Uhura asked what was wrong, Addie’s answer made her sick.

“What is it?” Leo asked seriously, watching the princess with wary concern.

“The smell,” Nyota murmured. “She can smell blood coming from the city.”

Down in the pitch-black darkness it was difficult to believe it was all real, even with Addie’s magnificent sapphire form leading the way and that unsettling reminder of what they would find--difficult, that is, until they reached the very beginning of the affected zone. The sand had clearly been blown away with extreme force, and even the constant current of the water had not been enough to shift it back to where it had begun; and after a moment Addie swam all the way down and began to dig through the sand. They watched in confusion as she scooped her way down a foot, two feet--and then a flash of copper glinted in the light of their masks. The princess stared for a long moment, emotion impossible to read, and then she fluttered back up and pressed onward. The smoothness of the ocean floor began to give way, broken by strange mounds still covered in the displaced sand, and then finally- _-finally-_ -they found what Addie had been both fearing and hoping for.

_People_.

There weren’t many, but they huddled together in a terrified pack as their little team drew closer--and then a strange chorus of exhilarated whistles and seemingly tuneless singing reached them. Addie took off in a flash of rich blue, leaving her humanoid counterparts in the dust as she darted right into the center and began greeting every single person. It didn’t matter that she’d never met a single one of them before: they knew her, she was their _princess_ , and she was _there_. If she could have cried in that body she would have--might still have been, who the hell knew beneath the waves--and touched her forehead to that of everyone else, singing and whistling and signing right back.

“Any idea what they’re saying?” Leo asked Uhura, watching intently as Addie touched faces and inspected burns and cuts.

“Nothing,” She replied, as awed as both Spock and Leo had been when they’d first seen Addie. Even in the darkness it was clear to see that every person there was as vibrantly colored and marked as she and her siblings, some shorter, several longer, sex practically impossible to differentiate in the mix of shapes. Eventually the princess did return to them and began to sign for Uhura, and after a moment of finagling they got the message straight.

“She says they were far enough away to only sustain minor injuries, but they’ve been too afraid to go into the city by themselves. They’re willing to help us,” Nyota explained. She paused and flicked a glance at Addie, who seemed to be expecting more, and continued. “She...also says that they got as far as the edge of the crater and think they may have heard sounds of survivors coming from ruins.”

“Sounds of survivors?” Spock repeated. Addie nodded grimly--she could read their lips fairly well through the masks--and then mimicked something coming up out of her throat.

“They’re screaming,” Nyota translated quietly. Bones couldn’t help the small sound he made, but no one commented, instead picking right up after the princess. A few of the mermaids they’d found elected to stay behind and direct anyone who came that way, but the rest fell in behind their Starfleet counterparts and followed them on in. The crater was as awesome as it was horrifying: the sides were perfectly straight, as if the ground truly had been stamped down, and at the bottom--still illuminated by what few lights that had somehow managed to withstand the assault--twisted, crumpled metal and shards of that clear material stuck up out of the rock and sand. And just as they other mermaids had said, faint sounds reached their ears: barely audible keens that quavered through the water like the entire ruined city was haunted.

The princess led them over the edge and the sounds only grew clearer, whistles joining with the ghoulish keens and distant cries to create a heartbreaking, agonized cacophony that made their hair stand on end. Addie shivered hard, the sounds breaking over her skin through the water, and took off toward the first shelter she’d shown them on the map. It wasn’t even visible beneath the wreckage, thick beams, half-melted broken ‘glass’, and rocks burying most of the entrance. Addie hesitated as she came nearer, one hand over her nose and mouth as if her hand could somehow alleviate the steadily thickening stench of blood and cooked flesh that permeated the water, but nevertheless she forced herself down and began to clear the ruins away with the help of the other merfolk who had joined them. They heaved and twisted and forced the rubble out of the way, and the deeper they dug, the clearer those awful cries became. With her heart in her throat Addie cleared the last of the wreckage away from the entrance and pulled the door open.

**_“Oh my god.”_ **

It was a vocal sentiment shared by at least half of the crew that had come with them. As Addie pulled the door open a mangled hand floated up out of the crushed compartment, cooked flesh split and shining oddly in a manner that had nothing to do with the coral-pink scales. It was clear that the other mermaids had much the same reaction, as Addie slowly bent and began to lift the body out of the entrance, mournful whistles and whimpers intensifying as the rest of the shattered, blood-oozing corpse came into view. For all that the mermaids and their own crew members had come to help, it was Spock and Leo who climbed in with Addie first, Uhura a second behind; but there was only one body in the entrance. Before anyone could ask one of the mermaids came forward and took the body from their princess and Addie opened the trap door set into the bottom.

The chamber beneath had also been crushed like an aluminum can, but it was empty, another trap door only a foot beneath the first. Addie leaned down into the hole and opened this one too, and then flinched as another body came floating up against the opening. The flinch became a sharp whistle as the ‘body’ twitched and jerked and moaned in pain, and Addie wriggled her way past the injured mermaid as gently as she could so that she could carefully lift them through and into the waiting arms of the doctor. The mermaid tried to jerk away from their touch--it was obvious they were badly burned--but the fight was practically nonexistent as they were passed out of the shelter entirely and into the care of the others. There were quite a few other people in that compartment, but it was impossible to tell if they were living or dead without pausing to check and Addie was saving that for the actual doctor and those they’d brought along. Instead she opened another trapdoor, leaned in past another crumpled room--she understood their design better, now, rooms built to collapse beneath the pressure to help distribute it away from the ones in which people took shelter--and opened the last trap door.

The crying that had they’d heard before, gone silent as they began opening lower doors, returned with a vengeance the moment she pulled that door open. Wails and whistles met Addie, and she herself keened brokenly as the first thing that met her was a tiny hand. She offered no answer to the questioning whistle above her and propelled herself into the room blindly, arms held out for what she knew would be coming. Hands and tails wrapped around whatever could be reached, hands a fifth of the size of hers, tails no thicker than her wrists and arms, large eyes filled with terror looking upon her with relief and pain and trauma they never should have experienced. Hands never stopped gripping, petting, her body becoming the center of a writhing mass of children all straining for the comfort of a familiar face.

“They’re kids,” Nyota breathed, one hand resting over her heart since she couldn’t reach her mouth, tears burning in her eyes. Leo nodded and cleared his throat as he peered down into the last chamber, watching Addie try her best to wrap her arms around all of their little bodies at once.

“They’re kids,” He agreed roughly. Very slowly Addie began to rise, the mass of children breaking apart slightly as they all tried to rise with her, and a chain formed so that Addie could pass the little ones along to those waiting at the top. The children clung to the others, too, only allowing themselves to be peeled off and handed up with great care. These little ones were burned, but they didn’t seem to have any serious damage from the compression itself besides some knocks and bruises where the water had slammed them into the walls, the floor, each other. When Addie finally swam back up through the compartments with the last few children glued to her, she began signing intensely enough that Uhura had to make her slow down.

“She...says they need to get these children up to the surface, at least up to the waters around the island. If their injuries are only minor, she wants them to stay planetside as long as possible because she’d rather send them to another city than inundate the ship with numbers they can’t handle. She’s asking for two volunteers from her people...and she needs some from us to go with them.” Addie’s blue head turned toward the Starfleet group and she looked at Leo particularly; all she needed to do was point up and loose a small, questioning sound to get her point across. He shook his head and pointed at the sand.

“Not yet. The others have all the information I know, I think they can handle this a while longer,” He explained, watching as Addie’s eyes stayed on his mouth. The princess nodded and then turned back to the two who had volunteered to go up with the children and humans, and Nyota cracked a tiny smile.

“She’s warning them to go slow on the way back up. Regular stops even if the diving suits help.” The smile widened a touch. “Not a single one of us is to be left behind or injured from negligence,” Uhura added, and Leo chuckled.

“That sounds like her.”

The next shelter they aimed for lay what would have been several city blocks from the first, and this time the trip was much less tame. The deeper into the city they swam, the more evident the waste became, bodies floating just above the ocean floor in the dim golden light, limbs and tails sticking out from under the ruined, flattened skeletons of buildings; the water was hazy in the face of their lights from the blood that leaked into the water from the sheer number of broken corpses, and every once in a while Addie could be seen gagging slightly when the smell became too much. When they found the next shelter they repeated the process of clearing the debris away from the entrance--but this time the first room, crumpled like the other shelter, was packed. Adis had to take a long moment, eyes carefully closed, before she could even think about leaning in; but thankfully some of the crew the captain had sent began clearing these bodies away for her.

Or they tried, at least.

These bodies were splintered and melted into each other, stuck in the crushed creases of the walls around them. It took quite a few nauseating attempts to break through the barrier they created before anyone could reach the next door, and rather than remain empty like it was supposed to, this one was also filled to the brim with bodies.

“Jesus,” Bones swore as Addie peered in and shook her head slowly.

“They’ll all be like this from here on in,” Nyota translated for her. “They panicked.” It had been more than most of their lifetimes since they’d needed to run to the shelters, after all; fear had beat out sense, and deeper into the city meant more people who had not wanted to go to the next shelter to see if there was any room. Of course, Addie also had a nagging suspicion that when they’d built the city all those centuries ago, they’d not needed as many shelters to house their people as they did now.

The thought made her sick.

Ádís hung back this time as they worked through the chambers of the dead, waiting somberly for any word from those struggling to get through: she was bracing herself for the news that the lower levels were also full of corpses, and the silence that followed the opening of the last door seemed to bring her worst fears to life. In an extremely human-looking move Addie pushed her fingers through her hair stiffly, and then froze as the weakest coo sounded from the bottom. The next sounds were urgent trills and notes and the other mermaids pushed the humans out of the way to get to the bottommost compartment, but the sounds did not stop, soothing, heartbroken hums and half-songs pouring low and aching out of the adults.

Hands and tails did not attach themselves like they had the first time: these children were wounded, burned, the compartment half-collapsed and teeming. The rescuers were gentler even than they had been before, handling the little ones like shattered porcelain: their skin was blistered and split in places, and some were bleeding steadily out into the water from scratches and skin-piercing fractures and the places where teeth had gone through lips and tongues and had connected with heads.

The princess didn’t ask for volunteers this time. Every person left was given a child per arm to cradle against their chests, even Spock carefully holding half-conscious ‘toddlers’ close. A kid in each arm and one wrapped around her head, burrowed in her hair with its tail loose around her neck (like most of the other merfolk), Addie led them slowly up to the surface herself. The slow pace was good for both the humans and the little things they carried, and as sunlight finally reached them through the water Addie let loose a piercing whistle that seemed to shake through their very bones. The mermaids around her followed suit, and they whistled over and over until those biding their time in the water around the island heard and rushed to meet them. They made the same sounds the others had made upon seeing the state of the kids in the shelter and took some of them in their own arms, leading the way up to the beach confidently.

Untransformed, Addie couldn’t come all the way in to the beach with kids in her arms, and so she watched as the Starfleet crew met the doctors and then started coming back for the rest. Bones himself waded out to take the children from her, but before he could walk away with the last little one finally untangled from her hair she stopped him with a touch and nodded to the beach herself.

“You want to come out of the water?” He asked in surprise, frowning deeply. Addie nodded heavily and then touched her throat, her face twisting wryly. She needed to be able to communicate with them, and with the ship, directly: shifting back into her other form was the only way to do that. Leo sighed and nodded. “Give me just a minute and I’ll come back for you, all right? No sense in you crawling your way up the beach.” Leo did return after several minutes, having been pulled this way and that as they all tried to figure out what the hell to do, and when he came Spock came with him. The Vulcan scooped the princess up himself, carrying her out of the water with considerably more ease than it had taken for both Leonard and Jim to get her to the trees, but even so Bones supported the end of her tail so that they could get her into relative privacy before she shifted, just as violently as she had the first time.

“Thank you,” She murmured, accepting the clothes she’d been wearing before from Lt. Uhura as the other woman slipped into the privacy of the trees. Leo, she noticed, was pointedly not looking at her; that was definitely a change from the first time he’d seen her like that, and she would have commented had she not felt as if her bones had turned to lead. Once she was dressed she passed a hand over her face and shook her head. “I need to know how close we are to getting help from our other cities. Do any of you know if the other teams from the Enterprise have been deployed?”

“There are two other teams in the water from the Enterprise,” Nyota replied. “I just asked for you. The ship also sent word that Governor Alanna has sent what they deemed a ‘small army’ our way; they should actually be here any minute.” Addie looked at the lieutenant like she could have kissed her, too, and blew out a soul-deep sigh.

“Thank the gods. Can you contact the teams at the bottom? Do you know if there’s any sort of pattern to their search?”

“As a matter of fact the mics work,” A man said as he strode forward with a communicator for Spock. “We could hear everything you were saying, when you were actually speaking.”

“And have the other two teams found anything?”

“They’re sweeping from the outsides in on opposite sides, and.... One team did, and several of them will be coming back with some people in tow. The other team reported the first shelter they found was empty.”

_“Empty?”_ Addie repeated in cold astonishment. “Had the occupants already gone?”

“No, ma’am...from the looks of it, there had never been anyone there.”

_“Never been….”_ Addie trailed off breathlessly and looked around her from the ground where she still sat, clearly not sure how she should respond, her face a blank sort of shock. After a moment she clenched her jaw and nodded, pulling herself out of the shock a lot faster than she had been able to before. “I know I don’t give any of you orders, but Doctor McCoy, those children need you. Please go up to the Enterprise. Commander Spock, I would appreciate it if you remained with me for the time being. And Lt. Uhura, your translation skills are invaluable. When the others do arrive, I would be honored if you would dive with them and help coordinate between your people and mine.”

She didn’t give them orders, but yet right then she absolutely _did_ , for they all seemed to accept her suggestions without a fight.

“Are you heading back down, Princess?” Leo asked, folding his arms over his chest in thought. Addie shook her head.

“Not for another hour at least. I can’t.”

“You can’t.”

“Not for another hour.”

Bones just lifted an eyebrow and waited for an explanation.

“We can transform mostly at will, but we can’t do it any time we like. The ideal wait time between shifts is five hours--one, in an emergency. I’ll go back in once I’m satisfied it won’t create a breakdown in communication. I still want to find that lab.”

“Will they not have that same compound anywhere else?” Spock asked, and Addie’s lips tweaked just so with the driest of almost-smiles.

“Would you keep something like that just laying around?” She asked in return. “Better no hands than the wrong ones.”

“Until you need it,” Leo drawled quietly. Addie nodded.

“Until you need it.”

Governor Alanna’s people arrived shortly after the doctor had gone up to the ship, and Nyota did indeed head back under the water to keep communication flowing smoothly. Addie’s presence became just as necessary on the island, for she could go between Starfleet and water-dweller even more easily, and while she didn’t give up on trying to find that serum, trying to decide which survivors went where--who could move themselves, who could be transported, and who could not--became a much more immediate priority. Things might have been different had there been anyone else up in that ship running the show, but Addie would not soon (and would likely never) forget that sharp, wicked-fast mind gathering and processing everything the doctor could about her physiology and finding a way to patch her back up when he’d only just discovered her species _existed_.

Addie trusted Leo with the care of her people, and in the princess’ eyes that meant infinitely more than trusting him with herself.

By the time the sun began to set other groups had arrived, initial response teams that came with things that Addie, in her rush to get down to the bottom herself, had not taken the time to think about asking for specifically. Temporary buildings, their own transportable medical equipment, food; some had even come toting bags of toys in the hopes that some children had indeed survived.

The onset of night had no bearing on the world beneath the waves, and rescue teams worked deep into the night even if Addie had insisted that Captain Kirk strip them down to the bare bones of Starfleet volunteers once a good number of her own people had begun gathering and helping. Only when all of the shelters had been cleared did Addie let them put the rest on hold, knowing that digging through the decimated buildings held less of a chance of revealing survivors--but before she could slip off into the water by herself (Spock she had released hours before, realizing she’d likely be unable to break away to search for the solution), the communicator he’d left her chirped. The princess sighed and trudged heavily back through the sand to the table she’d set it on.

“Go for Addie.”

“Good! You’re not in the water yet.” Scotty’s voice came through and Addie frowned in confusion, wondering why on earth the engineer had not gone to sleep yet. He wasn’t medical or command, there wasn’t much left there for him to do until possibly morning. Her confusion became worry as she heard what sounded like faint, muffled cries from the background--much like the ones they’d heard when they first hit Aphelion’s edge.

“What is it, Mr. Scott?”

“It’s the wee ones, Princess,” Scotty replied quietly. “We can’t seem to find a way to get any o’ them to settle. Figured you might have better luck than us.”

Addie looked back out over the dark ocean waters longingly, silent for a long second.

“All right, Mr. Scott. Bring me aboard. I’ll see what I can do.”


	6. Devil Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children will bring out your best and your worst--sometimes all at once. And that's just the healthy ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> General warning for mentions of depression and suicidal thoughts.

“Thank you, Princess. We’re actually ready when you are,” Scotty replied--which meant they had someone waiting for her answer already. To her surprise they actually beamed her directly to the bay, and when she re-materialized the sight took her breath away. The room was packed with those tanks, end to end to end in rows from one end to the other, and it sounded as if every single child was wailing beneath the water. And why would they not be? The only people to have been beamed aboard the ship were those who were too weak and too wounded to be left in the ocean with the rest, and of the mere hundreds they’d been able to save from the ruins of Aphelion--hundreds out of a _million_ , knowledge which had somehow managed to make the princess feel even more responsible and even more desperately miserable than she already did--most of them had been, just as she’d predicted, children. The few grown, or mostly grown, water-dwellers had come from the shelters nearest the outer limits of the city: it seemed the compression had not simply pushed the water down into itself, but also inward from the sides enough to focus most of the destructive pressure down upon the center of the city.

That meant there was practically no hope of recovering their serum, but nevertheless, Addie desperately wanted to try; just...later. Later, when she was wasn’t rendered mute by the sheer number of children housed in that bay.

“You made modifications,” Ádís murmured as she watched Doctor McCoy step up onto a stool beside one of the tanks, the child inside rising up to meet him as the floor of the tank lifted the sand up higher. “How did you have the time for this?”

“Sometimes we think better under pressure, Princess,” Scotty said just as quietly, and Addie turned to look at him with an understanding light in her eyes.

“Sometimes we work better when they’re children,” She replied, and Scotty cleared his throat and nodded.

“All’s they’ve got to do is lift the little one up a bit higher by hand to reach,” Scotty explained as a nurse stepped up on the other side and carefully brought it to the surface for the doctor. “Got to watch the bloody spines, though, or they’ll get ya pretty good,” He added with a grumble, and Addie huffed out a small laugh in spite of herself.

“Human skin is soft,” She said, still smiling just a touch. “They’re not quite as lethal to us. Wouldn’t get caught between a wall and the spines on one of us as an adult, though, they’ll run you through.”

“Lovely!” Scotty replied with as much fake cheeriness as he could muster, and Addie snorted softly. She walked slowly through the rows toward the doctor, inspecting the tanks and the children who laid inside, taking in their modifications.

“The temperature control?”

“Through the sand, actually. The pads that lift and lower double as heaters. Takes a hot minute--pun intended--but it’s better than nothing.”

“And we have no way of cooling them down?”

“Ice,” Scotty answered, and he was absolutely serious. “But I didn’t get the idea that cooling them down that far would be all that great an idea while they’re trying to heal.”

“It’s not,” Bones answered from several rows over. “They need the energy.”

“And they need rest,” Addie lifted her voice with both eyebrows raised. “Cool them down a bit and I’m sure they’ll settle.”

“That’s a nasty trick, Princess,” Leo replied, wincing as he tried to steady the child before him and caught a spine instead. Addie opened her mouth to argue and Leo finally looked up at her intently. “I’m teasin’. What I’d love to find is a temperature balance that lets them keep healing as much as it calms them down, but unfortunately I don’t think any combination of temperature is gonna help much in this situation, darlin’.”

Addie dragged her teeth over her bottom lip and stared at the doctor for a long moment, forcing herself to accept what he was saying even though it _ached_. After a moment she drew a deep breath and nodded.

“Where have you been? Who have you already seen? Have you tried pain medication?”

Bones didn’t answer for a moment, taking a second to finish what he was doing before he stepped down and waved her over.

“I’ve tried medication on a select few. No one too bad off, just a little to see how long it would last if it did anything at all--I’m not in the habit of experimenting much on children. It’s helped, and I’ve already got nurses dosing some of the others.” Leo nodded to some of the people coming along behind them, carefully lifting the children so that they could be reached with hypos. “They’re working through the kids we’ve already seen. We’re doing what we can, but burns….” He shook his head. “That’s another reason I’m not making that water any cooler. I want to keep their circulation up.”

Addie nodded and rubbed a rough hand over her face, green eyes washing over the room once more.

“All we can do is soothe, then,” She murmured, and looked up just in time to see a flicker of pain wash over his face when one of the children nearest them wriggled themselves awake and let out an unmistakably terrified cry. Addie stood there long enough for him to meet her gaze and see the understanding there, and then, with a gentle squeeze of his arm, she turned for that one first. It was probably infinitely stupid, what she was going to try, but nevertheless she tried anyway: she stole a stool and climbed up to peer into the water and then lifted the platform, watching as the displaced water filtered through the sand to the empty space beneath so that it wouldn’t spill out onto the floor; and then, when it was only about a foot deep, she stepped into the tank herself.

“Addie,” Leo growled in warning, knowing full well she could very well just explode into a creature nearly twice the size, but Addie ignored him. Instead she focused on the tingle she could feel buzzing up her legs, like her body was trying to shake apart from the molecular level outward, and breathed deep and intent. People who had lived as long as her Pabbi could change without the help of land or water, or choose not to change if needed, and if she could do the same….

It would certainly be easier than requesting Scotty make her a tank big enough to house her gigantic form.

Addie bent and scooped the child out of the water and her breath hitched as its tail wound itself around her waist, its little hands reaching up to tangle in her hair. She swallowed and then turned so that she could sink down onto the sand, and she whimpered softly as a that buzz shot up her spine with renewed vigor.

“Damn it, Princess, you’re two seconds from hurting yourself or that kid or both, now get the hell out of that tank,” The doctor ordered sharply. Addie held herself for one second longer and then stood, only releasing her breath as the buzz shrank down to something manageable. “Jesus _Christ_ ,” Leo swore, holding a hand up for hers as she stepped out of the tank, dripping, the kid still clinging to her like cement. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” He demanded through clenched teeth, and Addie glared right back up at him as her feet hit the floor proper, wrapping her other arm around the little one.

“He’s _scared.”_

“Of course he’s scared, they’re _all_ scared,” Leo retorted, his voice low but no less frustrated. “They’re in a damn cargo bay in outer-fuckin’-space, they don’t know where their parents are, they’re surrounded by weird monkey-looking people that they probably can’t even remember havin’ seen before, and they’re _hurt_ , Addie. But that doesn’t mean we get to throw proper caution to the wind and just hope it goes well. I get you’re their princess and all, but don’t you ever put another one of those kids in danger like that again, do you hear me?”

Addie stared up at him and for once there was no defiance in her gaze, no fight, no stubbornness. It was realization and understanding and surprise, and he could tell it had been a long time since anyone had talked to her like that because he could see it, that flicker not of anger, but of embarrassment and guilt that warned of tears and it took quite a bit of work to keep his face in its glare.

_Please don’t cry. Please don’t cry. Please don’t cry._

“Yes, Doctor. I understand,” Addie finally replied, pulling it together quick, and once again it took everything in Leonard not to deflate with relief. “I’m sorry.”

“...Yeah, all right,” Leo accepted, nodding. “Scotty?” He lifted his voice for the Scotsman, who was clearly only sort of awake, leaning against the wall, waiting to be dismissed.

“Aye, yep, I’m--I’m awake. What?” He answered, and Bones rolled his eyes mightily.

“Go to bed. You can do it in the morning.”

“But what?”

“I need an Addie-sized tank. So either do it yourself, or go the hell to sleep and leave the instructions for someone else.” Scotty held up his thumb as he muffled a gigantic yawn and nodded, shuffling on out of the room looking just like a zombie. Addie cracked a half-smile as Scotty left, but when she looked back around at Leo he was watching her with one eyebrow arched severely. “You oughta go to bed too. I think your judgement might get a little better after some sleep.” He was mostly serious, but there was just enough of a teasing edge to hopefully keep the princess from getting too defensive.

“You called me up here to help you.”

“Yeah, and then you almost exploded a tank. Not so helpful.”

Addie sighed and then looked down at the child in her arms, trailing her fingertips over the dark blue curls laying wetly against his scalp. His hands had not left her hair, his tail had not left her waist, and truly the only change had been the fact that he’d sought the darkness of the crook of her neck over the bright, sterile lights of the cargo bay.

“How are the acoustics in here?” She asked. Leo gave her a look that clearly said ‘how should I know’ and pursed his lips.

“I’m a doctor, Princess, not an audio engineer. I don’t know what you want me to tell you,” He replied, and Addie dropped her head to one side in exasperation.

“Does it echo, Doctor?” She tried again. “I haven’t heard anyone make a loud enough noise.”

“Yeah, it echoes. Why?”

Addie didn’t answer straight away. Instead she nodded and then walked past him, swaying slightly so that she could gently rock the little boy she held. When he did receive an answer, it wasn’t what he expected: Addie didn’t speak, or even whistle, she raised her voice and began to sing. High, wordless and crystal clear, the sound echoed around the mostly-metal bay and the princess worked the echoes like she’d done it a million times before, forming chords, layering notes, creating a gorgeous swell of lilting cadences that matched her swaying. Leo’s frown smoothed out completely as he realized what she was doing, and he watched her make her way down one row in sweet surprise, a tender sort of awe taking hold of him as Addie’s lullaby actually began to _work_.

The sight washed over him with a nostalgia he hadn’t been expecting, the deep ache of a missing loved one, and for just a moment he could feel the weight of his daughter in his arms, warm and solid against his chest, her own breath hot on the side of his neck as she slept with her face tucked just like the boy in Addie’s arms. Jaw clenched up tight, stuck between missing his little girl desperately and melting unexpectedly at the sight in front of him, Leo watched Addie turn and walk down the next row until he couldn’t justify it anymore and turned back to the rest of the kids in their tanks. He passed a hand over his mouth and returned to work, but this time it was with just a little more lightness, a little more hope, Addie’s clear voice repeating its song until even he could hum softly along, even if he’d never be able to work the room like she did. Addie lost track of how many times she’d repeated her song, continuing even after the last child had been seen to and given the biggest dose of pain medication they were willing to risk (which wasn’t much at all, but hopefully took a majority of the fire out of their burns).

The sun had already risen on the planet by the time the last of the children had finally fallen asleep, and despite Dr. McCoy’s insistence that Addie go get some sleep (she’d had something like six hours over three extremely trying days), she stayed right there in the bay with those children, deep purple rings forming around puffy eyes, skin colorless and tired.

Once again, she looked like shit.

Eventually Addie did accidentally pass out asleep on the floor while leaning against a tank, letting the warm sand ease the tightness in her back after rocking children all night long, and she looked so pathetically peaceful--and had been so stubborn in her refusal to leave the room--that they’d just left her there. Captain Kirk had assumed control of the situation as best he could, continuing to use Uhura to translate, fudging a bit with his explanations of what their princess was _actually_ doing. It wasn’t that Jim thought there was anything wrong with Ádís finally getting some rest; he just had a feeling she’d appreciate it if her people were never given the chance to think she was slacking off in a time of crisis. Besides, Jim had been privy to everything they’d seen and done beneath the waves the previous day, and between their cameras and mics and Spock’s quiet recounting later that night in Jim’s _(their)_ room, he was positive Addie needed the time to breathe.

Even Bones gave himself permission to rest shortly after Addie practically collapsed and he was certain there would be no immediate emergencies following as soon as his foot crossed the threshold of his quarters--and to his amusement, Addie was still asleep when he came back. He chuckled to himself and turned right back around, and when he came back into the cargo bay he was holding a tall porcelain travel mug. He set the mug out of reach and then knelt down by the princess, right by her head where she’d slid all the way down the wall and curled up on her side with her back still pressed to the warm tank, and with a quick look around to make sure no one was actively watching them he reached out and gently brushed the hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear so that he could see her. She merely drew in a quiet breath and settled in a little heavier, and he raised an eyebrow that was both amused and...perhaps a little fond.

“Rise and shine, Princess,” He said, smoothing his hand down her arm. “I think you’ve been on the floor long enough.” Addie’s face drew into a frown and she ground out a little, chesty grumble that had him smiling before he could control his face. “Come on, sweetheart, you’ve got princessing to do.” Leo gave her a gentle shake and her eyes snapped open, hilariously wide and utterly lost.

“What happened? Where am I? Why’m I on the floor?”

“Cuz you made the mistake of sitting down,” Leo teased as she blinked hard and tried to gather her bearings once more. “Although that might not have been a mistake, you’ve slept so hard you might have just passed out standing up if you’d been on your feet much longer.”

“Ugh, gods,” Addie sighed as she rubbed her eyes, viscerally disappointed at being shaken back to reality. She pushed herself back upright and despite Leo’s warm little smile, she couldn’t bring herself to return the sentiment, meeting his gaze with as much lifeless exhaustion as she had the day he’d had her on one of his exam tables. Leo’s smile faded and, with another quick glance around, he set his hand on her knee.

“Cheer up, darlin’. It could be worse.”

The look Addie gave the doctor was absolutely withering.

“What the fuck do you think is worse than this?” Addie drawled, starting to stand up whether he moved out of her way or not.

“Well, you could be dead,” Leo replied easily, grabbing the coffee from where he’d stuck it so that he could hold it out for Addie. “Here.”

“I fail to see how that’s worse,” Addie muttered quietly, even if she did accept the mug with a curious frown. “What is this?”

“Coffee, now _what?”_

“I’ve never had coffee.”

“It tastes like charcoal by itself, but it does the job, now what did you say?” Leo pressed, keeping himself firmly in Addie’s way. Addie swallowed, her jaw clenching for just a second as she fought to keep her patience.

“What, Doctor, never heard of casual nihilism?”

“I _embody_ nihilism, and not the casual kind. That’s not what that was.” He still didn’t move, even though Addie clearly stepped forward to move past him, and she heaved out a sigh and closed her eyes.

“I’m just tired. And I’m stressed. And even being dead seems like a better option than all of this right here, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to _act_ on it. It means I’m overwhelmed and I made a thoughtless comment. Okay?” She waited for Leo to answer, and when he didn’t, she let her head drop back with an even deeper sigh. “I swear to all the gods and several more that I’m just being dramatic. I _promise_ you. Are you happy now?”

The doctor held her gaze for one, two heartbeats more and then he finally nodded.

“Look what they did while you were out,” He moved on, nodding back over her shoulder. Addie turned and looked behind her and both eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“How...did they do that so quietly?”

“They didn’t. You were just that tired,” Leo replied with a little chuckle. Along the back wall was the biggest tank they’d made yet, bigger even than what she might have asked for. It was deep enough that all ten feet of her could easily float upright and not be touching the bottom or sticking out of the top, and it was long enough that she could swim laps as long as she kept them tight.

“How long did this take? Oh gods, how long was I out?” She asked, walking back to the tank. She took a sip of the coffee as she did and made a face at its bitter tang, which made Leo almost _snigger_ to himself.

“You were out for several hours. It’s afternoon on your planet, for sure. Jim’s been coordinating for you with Spock and Uhura.” Addie stopped and turned back to look at Leo as he came up alongside her in wonder.

“I--I don’t--”

“Know what to say? Yeah, I can tell. Maybe you better not try, either, just in case you end up spoutin’ some more ‘casual nihilism’,” Leo teased, and Addie threw him a (considerably less withering) scowl. “Drink your coffee, Princess,” He laughed, and Addie did just that, hiding her own little smile in the lip of the mug.

“So what are you going to do? Drop me in there with all of the kids?”

“Not quite. Not enough room, for one thing. Thought we’d start small and go from there, maybe one or two of the healthier ones. If they do okay, we might start moving them to bigger tanks so they aren’t alone. Why didn’t you tell me they were so keen on touch?”

“You’d already decided you wanted them separate and I didn’t disagree,” Addie replied easily. “But yes, at that age they are...a bit like gorillas. Infinitely clingy. We don’t often sleep alone.”

“Really?” There was no sarcasm present in the doctor as he turned to face her fully, pure curiosity on his face.

“Really. We’re enormously social creatures and we’re very free with our affections. But sleeping in groups isn’t just nice, it’s a good way to keep us warm, too.”

“Do you have beds?”

“Nests, of a sort. We’ve come very far in many different ways, but a lot of us still sleep fairly traditionally. Kelp and seaweed and moss lining a space carved out for everyone to curl up inside.”

“That...sounds almost nice,” Leo said, pulling a tiny laugh out of Addie.

“Let me guess, you’re thinking about how slimy that must feel and how fishy that all must smell.”

“...Might be,” Leo admitted, and Addie laughed a little harder.

“It would be like...long, thick beds of grass to you. And the great thing about being underwater is that nothing ever smells like fish _under the water_.” This time Leo snorted a bit louder than he meant to and cleared his throat, trying to school the smile out of his face.

“You make a damn good point, Princess,” He said, folding his hands behind his back--and then he did something Addie hadn’t seen him do yet, a move so adorable she couldn’t help but grin.

Leo _bounced_.

“What?” He asked with a suspicious half-smile. There wouldn’t have been any smile there at all, except he was practically incapable of resisting the charm of a grin that damn sunny.

“Nothing.”

“No, go on, what. What’re you laughing at?”

“I’m not--I’m not laughing, I just...you’re cute,” Addie admitted, pink staining her cheeks. Then she cleared her throat and pretended Leo wasn’t watching her with the smuggest smirk on his face. “I should go and talk with the captain. Find out where we are, see if I’m needed down in Aphelion.”

“Yeah, all right. I’ll come with you,” Leo agreed, his smirk widening as Addie’s cheeks turned just that much redder. She was beginning to regret accepting that coffee: the last thing she needed was to feel faintly like she had just sunk waist-deep into water and was fighting the change when dealing with a smug human doctor and on her way to deal with his captain, but there she was, on her way to do both. “You know, you never did say whether or not you’d decided to, uh...thank me,” Leo pressed. He was mostly doing it to make her squirm--he was finding he had a fondness for the way she literally could not keep still when she was (pleasantly) uncomfortable--but the look she shot him made it clear she knew he was a little bit serious, too.

“You want me to kiss you right here in this hallway when you won’t even let yourself laugh louder than a whisper in front of most everyone on this ship?” She snarked, lifting an eyebrow. Bones blinked in shock, that smug smirk vanishing instantly, and he nodded to one side.

“All right, ya got me there,” He growled, and this time Addie was the one smirking. Leo’s smile returned just a bit when he saw it, tiny and soft. “Devil woman.”

“Well, we _are_ the reason the legends of sirens exist,” Ádís replied easily as they hit the door to the Bridge. Leo started to answer and then the door slid open.

Addie gasped.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention your dad decided to stop by,” Leo said as Llyr looked up from his conversation with Jim and smiled warmly at his daughter. Addie stared comically for one, two seconds, and then, rather than rush into the room to greet her father, she turned around and tugged an unsuspecting McCoy in to kiss him right at the corner of his mouth. Llyr lifted one eyebrow in distinct, long-suffering displeasure with a sigh, and Jim would have done much the same—

Were it not, of course, for the fact that Leonard Horatio ‘Bones’ McCoy turned _pink_.

Green eyes flashed wickedly for a split second beneath the genuine excitement, and then Addie turned and tried her hardest not to run to her father’s side.

“Hello, my darling,” Llyr murmured as Addie suctioned herself to him just like the little ones in the cargo bay had done with her. He held her close for a long moment in silence and no one dared make a comment: if anyone deserved the comfort of their dad’s embrace, it was the princess. Llyr ran a hand down Addie’s mess of curls and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, those matching green eyes closing with a quiet sigh. “I should have told you I was coming,” He murmured, notes of guilt evident in the softness of his tone. “But you have done everything I would have.” Addie nodded against her father’s chest and held on for a little while longer, until Llyr finally patted her on the back and lifted his head.

“His Majesty has taken over the show,” Jim told Addie as she stepped only far enough away to stand with her arm brushing her dad’s. “And has completely blown my mind with your infrastructure.”

“It is abundantly fascinating,” Spock agreed, and while Addie smiled warmly, Leo still stood off to one side looking mildly dazed, his face still rather red. It didn’t have any chance of fading when Llyr had eyeballed him so intently that the doctor wondered if Addie hadn’t marked him for execution instead of thanking him for the surprise.

“I’ve begun the process of clearing the rubble and debris,” Llyr explained, smoothing a hand down Addie’s back absently. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d said they were free with their affections. Addie nodded in acceptance, but it was clear in the way her gaze hardened that she was worrying about something else.

“You only have one more day,” She murmured, and Llyr sighed heavily.

“Captain, is there someplace we may speak privately?”

“You all can use my ready room.”

“I meant all of us,” The king clarified, and Jim’s face drew into a frown with a nod. He led the way to his ready room, Spock right behind him, Bones bringing up the rear; he was as much in this as everyone else, damn it (not that anyone was going to argue). Once they all settled Llyr laced his fingers together and examined his palms with a deep breath. “Eris is...a villain from our past,” He began. “She was...a friend. A trusted advisor and general. Addie….” He trailed off and closed his eyes. “You will know her better as Ashtad.”

“Ash--” Addie’s face smoothed out in cold astonishment and she took a step away from her father, drawing her hands up her own arms like she wanted to wipe his touch off. “You told me she was dead. You told me she died and she took Iggy with her.” Still Llyr kept his eyes closed, his face pinched like each word burned him.

“For all intents and purposes, she had.”

“Are you kidding me? She just killed scores of people with a weapon you helped her design and took my _brothers!”_

“They are my children, Ádís, it is no less painful for me.”

“So was Ingrid! But you--you--what. What have you done. Have you just let her _rot_ with this _madwoman?”_

“Ingrid...made her own choices.”

“She was younger than I am now!”

“Hey! Hey, okay, could you maybe fill us in on what’s going on here? Family drama is great and all but people are dead and I’d love to know how this ties in.” Jim cut in.

“I’d be delighted,” Addie replied, fury like she hadn’t even worn in the face of Eris twisting her face viciously. She slowly stepped away from Llyr and only stopped when there was a good six feet of space between them, and all the while, she spoke. “Ashtad commanded the Emerald Army a thousand years ago. She was also my father’s first wife. Together they had a child, my half-sister Ingrid, who until this very moment I believed to be _dead._ The civil war I spoke of was _her_ doing. And you just...what? Let her take off with your daughter and ride off into the sunset and pretended like she would no longer be a threat?”

“No, I--I didn’t let her do anything, Addie, she _escaped.”_

“And you didn’t go after her? You just told everyone she was dead?”

“I have searched for her for a thousand years!”

 **_“Not hard enough!”_ ** Addie shouted, her chest heaving as she took in great, raging breaths. The silence that filled the room after that was suffocating, father and daughter staring each other down, one furious, and the other desperately earnest. “Why did you let them believe she was gone? Why did you let us grow so lax? These people were _mine._ They were _my_ responsibility,” Addie demanded hoarsely, jabbing her finger into her own chest. “It was _your_ responsibility to tell me everything I needed to know before I came here. Your responsibility to _prepare_ me! So that I could _protect_ them!” This time Addie didn’t try to stem the flow of tears as they burned hot and furious in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Her anger gave her focus, gave her strength; she seemed to swell with it, power gathering within and around her like a dark, blistering aura, and none of the other men had any interest in calming her down. Not knowing _this._

“They know now,” Llyr murmured quietly, letting his gaze fall. He couldn’t look Addie in the eye when she was absolutely right. He couldn’t look his second-oldest daughter in the eye knowing he’d allowed the other to be so brainwashed by her own mother.

“That doesn’t bring their loved ones back. That doesn’t return the parents to every orphaned child in the cargo bay. _Babies_ I sang to all night in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, they would be able to breathe for a little while and sleep and not feel the godawful burning in their sweet skin or the _ache_ of shattered bones.” Addie pointed at her father, and in that moment it was impossible not to see why it was that _she_ had been the one sent to help protect the people of this planet, even young as she’d been. “You are going to fix this. Whatever it takes. You will bring my brothers home, or _I_ will, and if I go I will make _absolutely certain_ she never comes back, even if it means I don’t come home either.” It was a threat and a promise all in one, made with a shaking voice and flashing eyes and not a single shred of hesitation. Llyr swallowed hard and nodded, his own eyes over-bright.

“We must start by finding some way to track her,” He rasped. “I know she’s using our technology, and with what they have here yet...it will be difficult. But not impossible. So when she returns we must have a way to trace some kind of signature from her ships.”

“Mr. Spock, can you get started on that? Work with Scotty, see what we can do. Your Majesty, I trust you’ll be available to help?” Jim stepped in, unwilling to let things get worse.

If that was...even possible.

“Of course. I am at your disposal. Despite how things may seem, I...don’t take any pleasure in this.”

“Yeah, I don’t think anybody thinks that,” Jim replied, and if there was some sarcasm in there, well. He didn’t think the princess would mind, at least. “What else do you need to take her out?”

“A location first. After that...we’ll see.” Llyr answered, and Jim nodded, still frowning deeply. “Then we’ll get on it. Feel free to keep using our communications system to coordinate with your people, but if you all have tech sitting around somewhere that can help, I’d appreciate it if you brought some of that on board.”

Still scowling with her arms folded across her stomach like she’d been touched by something filthy, Addie breathed out on a sharp huff.

“If I’m not needed I’m going back to the cargo bay,” She spat, and did just that, stalking past her father without so much as looking at him.

“I would...like to see that, at some point,” Llyr murmured, and he licked his lips uncomfortably. Jim looked pointedly at Spock and then cocked an eyebrow toward the door.

“That’s Doctor McCoy’s territory,” Jim replied, and with that he left with Spock, blowing out a large, slow burst of air once they were out of earshot. Once they were alone, Llyr looked back over at the doctor to find him with his own arms folded over his chest and a frown on his own face, even if it wasn’t nearly as scathing as Addie’s--McCoy knew how to be professional, after all, and a frown was his most frequent expression anyway.

“I was gonna try and find a nice way to say this, but I think that ship has sailed,” He began, looking Llyr directly in the eye. “Your daughter told me right before we walked in that she’d prefer being dead to dealin’ with all of this. Now that ain’t a pleasant sentiment on a good day, but that’s awful goddamn worrying when she’s working up a spectacular case of survivor’s guilt with a generous sprinkle of what I’m pretty damn sure will be PTSD on down the line. Try not to make it worse.”

“You’re the one who saved her, aren’t you,” Llyr asked quietly, white as a sheet but refusing to be defensive in the face of his very obvious, _enormous_ fuck-up. Bones lifted a severe eyebrow.

“You bet your ass I am, Your Majesty, and while she’s on this ship her health is my responsibility--and I take that seriously.”

“Yes, of course you would,” Llyr replied just as softly, and there was no sarcasm, no snark. “Do you...have children, Doctor?” He ventured, his expression pulling into something remarkably... _lost._ Leo didn’t answer for several seconds, eyeballing Llyr with his own frowning scrutiny; but eventually he did let out a breath and nod.

“Joanna. My baby girl.”

 _“Ah,”_ Llyr said with a weak smile. “How old?”

“Comin’ up on eleven.” Another birthday he’d have to miss. Another birthday spent with a glass and a bottle and a heavy, heavy heart. Llyr nodded and then passed a hand over his mouth.

“Then as...a clearly adept doctor, and as a father...what would you suggest I do? How do I even _begin_ to fix this?”

“I think the first step is to fix what you said you fixed a thousand years ago,” Leo drawled, lifting his eyebrow again and pinning those freakishly familiar green eyes with another hard stare. Eris had been right about one thing: that glowing green was a dead-on match to Addie’s. Llyr huffed out a dry laugh.

“Aside from the obvious.”

“Give her time to cool down so that she doesn’t turn back into a volcano around the kids, and then maybe see if she’ll sit down and listen to your explanation. I’m sure you’ve got one. _Hopefully_ it’s a good one. If not, maybe skip that step and go straight to respecting her anger and letting her come to you. That wasn’t just a breach of trust, Your Majesty, you just shattered her world. She might not let you fix it.”

Llyr’s jaw clenched up tight and he nodded, letting his gaze drop to the floor.

“Look, I’ve seen just a little taste of how you must be with her, and if that’s consistent, then she adores you. And you seem to have given her the kind of support and encouragement she needs. Now I can’t tell you she’ll forgive you on those merits alone, but I _can_ tell you...you’re still her Pabbi. You hurt her bad, but you’re still her Pabbi. Girls with less...find it just as hard to let go of that.” It was a constant cycle of guilt and amazement that he could be so glaringly absent from Jo’s life and yet still have her greet him with pure excitement and warmth every time she did get to see him. Llyr looked back up at Bones and nodded, and this time there was just the faintest glimmer of hope in them once more. Leo nodded in a silent response, an acceptance of Llyr’s acceptance, and then headed for the door.

“Doctor?” Llyr stopped him and Leo turned, his expression expectant. “Whatever it is you and my daughter have found in each other, whatever your interactions may be...from one father to another, I have broken her enough. Please don’t add to it.” The king knew it had only been a few days, but he also knew his daughter, and he knew when she was, on some level, growing attached. Affections may have been free with their people, but kisses often were not.

Those were reserved for dry land.

Leo held Llyr’s gaze for a long moment and then he left, unexpectedly uncomfortable. He’d never actively sought to hurt anyone he’d dallied with. Anyone who had been hurt had made the mistake of hoping he would give more than he’d already said he could, but _that..._ it wasn’t a threat, it wasn’t posturing, it wasn’t weight thrown bullishly around as if Addie _belonged_ to her father. It was a simple request from a bleeding heart and for once, Leonard found he couldn’t put it aside.

Fuck.


	7. 'Friends'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a difference between understanding that death has come, and watching it come firsthand.

When the doctor finally made it to the cargo bay, Addie was at the top of a set of stairs Scotty had apparently cobbled together while they were gone--it was definitely better than the ladder they’d had before--wrapped in a sarong instead of the clothes they’d replicated for her. For a moment he forgot he wanted to talk to her, words leaving his brain the moment she reached up to untie the fabric so she could let it fall. Thought came back when he remembered the moment she hit the water he couldn’t talk to her, and shook himself mentally. 

“Princess!” Leo called, his stride quick and intent enough that she paused and frowned.

“What’s the matter?”

“Noth--uh--could you just hang on a second? I want to talk to you.”

_ Goddamn king with his goddamn kicked puppy face and his goddamn rationale…. _

Addie left the sarong tied around her neck and made her way back down the steps, concerned and even wary: gods only knew what her father might have said to him.

“What is it, Leo?” Addie asked again as he reached her, and she was glad he’d come around to the back side of the tank to meet her when he got that  _ look _ on his face. “Are you about to tell me I look like shit?” She added preemptively, recognizing the ‘are you all right’ already present in his eyes. Leo gave a small, mirthless almost-laugh.

“You don’t look like shit. You look upset.”

“You would be too.”

“Yeah, I would,” Leo agreed. Addie hadn’t exactly been prepping for a fight, but even so, his acknowledgement soothed something still fuming within her. She smoothed a hand over the soft fabric of her sarong and took a deep breath, green eyes downcast in thought.

“What is it, then. What did you want to talk about?”

“Your Pabbi,” He admitted, and Addie’s defenses  _ visibly _ rocketed right back up. “No, don’t--”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Leonard. People are dead and it could have been prevented had I known this. Had we been on alert.”

“For a thousand years?” Leo pointed out, lifting both eyebrows. “I’m not tryin’ to defend him, darlin’. But at least stop and think about how long that really is. Even if your people can live that long, it doesn’t seem like that many do, however that works, and if you didn’t live through it, you’re just not gonna feel the same urgency. Trying to keep up that same level of hyper-vigilance for a thousand years is a losing battle and it’s gonna make people think you’re cracked to boot. Should he have told you? You bet your britches he should’ve. But that doesn’t mean this woulda played out any differently.” Leo let that sink in a moment. “Hold him accountable for the lying. God knows he deserves it. But maybe don’t put so much blame on you and your father. Neither of you fired the weapon.”

Addie absorbed that in silence, and Leo could see some of the hardness crumbling away, some of that weight lifting off her slender shoulders.

“What makes you think I blame myself?” She drawled quietly, the question mostly facetious snark. The doctor cocked his head to one side and his expression flattened out into a very eloquent, silent  _ really? _

“Literally everything you have said and done since Eris or Ashtad or whatever the fuck her name is Hexed Aphelion.”

“...Fair enough,” Addie replied, and in spite of the dark subject she smiled just a little. It faded into the most open and sweetly sincere expression Leo had seen on her face yet, at least while also completely devoid of rage. “I hope you aren’t...worrying. About what I said earlier.” Leo’s skeptical expression told her everything she needed about whether he was or not.

(He was.)

“I shouldn’t have said it,” She continued, and Leo snorted dryly.

“‘Shouldn’t have said it’ isn’t the problem. How long have you been thinking like that?” It had come too easily, too tiredly to her lips for it to be a new sentiment. Addie stared up at him for a second, and the doctor could see her weighing the reactions of pure truth versus a watered down version. “That long, huh?” He answered for her. Addie sighed heavily and rubbed at her face with one hand.

“Only when things are really bad,” She admitted softly. “It’s how I know people shouldn’t worry. I don’t have the guts.”

Leo’s eyes slid closed and his breath caught silently: it hit too close to home.

“It’s not—Addie.” He waited until she looked up at him, and he could tell she hadn’t planned on sharing even that.  _ Especially _ that. “Guts has nothin’ to do with it, first of all. Killing yourself isn’t brave and it isn’t cowardly. It’s a tragedy, and that’s all it is. Not having the ‘guts’ to go through with it is that little voice of hope in you telling you you can make it just one more day. When did it start?”

“When everything started going to shit,” Addie replied honestly. “I tried so hard, and it had been  _ working, _ but they got smart. And people began dropping like flies all over again. Do you know what it’s like to try so hard, for so long, only to fail people over and over? Only to have them  _ die  _ over and over?”

“Yes.” One word, and it brought Addie up short. Somehow, even in the midst of all of that carnage, she’d forgotten what a position like his had to mean. Had to  _ come _ with. Addie opened her mouth to apologize and he waved her off, and for once the motion didn’t send a stab of offended anger through her. “Don’t apologize, I don’t want it. I love my job, even though it comes with some dark days. Just remember I do understand, sweetheart. Better than most.” Leo glanced around to see if anyone was staring at them through the tank and then reached out and gently, playfully clipped her chin. “If at any point you get low enough to consider it, or even think about it more than a bad joke, you find me, d’ya hear me?”

The clip made Addie smile and giggle softly before she could stop herself, but the rest sobered her.

“You’re a doctor, you have to say that,” She teased, trying to lessen the sensation of being bare before him in all the wrong ways.

“The hell I do. I could send you off to somebody else just as easily,” Leonard denied, complete with sassy eyebrow. “I’m saying this as a doctor  _ and  _ as a friend.”

“Is that what we are, Leo? Friends?” Addie asked, and Leo felt an instinctive jolt of panic hit his stomach. He hated that fucking question on principle.

“Yeah, at this point I’d say we are,” He replied, hoping it didn’t get him a cold shoulder or a slap. To his surprise Addie didn’t just do neither, she broke into a bright grin.  

“I’m glad,” She beamed. “I mean, granted, all of my friends are dead, so I have to take what I can get—” She stopped as Leo rolled his eyes mightily to the ceiling and began vocally ‘praying’ for strength.

“Lord, give me the strength to handle this mean, mean devil woman—”

“Oh,  _ stop,” _ Addie cut in, laughing, and smacked him lightly on the chest. Leo caught her hand with a toothy grin, the widest she’d seen on him yet, and the combination of his hand over hers, strong and steady and gentle, mixed with that solid chest and those  _ dimples (good  _ **_gods_ ** _ those dimples) _ made her stomach flutter.

“I’m gonna throw you in that tank myself,” Leo teased, acutely aware that he’d done something right when her cheeks flushed just a little bit, even if he wasn’t sure what it was specifically. “Now go on. I’m guessing you wanted to give the tank a try so we can see about little ones.” He may or may not have given her hand a gentle squeeze with that, and she may or may not have flashed him a coy little  _ look _ in return.

‘Friends’.

Addie was ready with a response when beeping rang sharply through the room, and as she watched Leonard switched visibly from Leo to Dr. McCoy; he dropped her hand and took off around the tank with an urgent frown and a power stride. Slowly the princess came around the side of the tank, watching in what felt like slow motion as several people converged on the source of the commotion: one of the slightly older children who’d been hurt worse than many of the others. She didn’t need to come any closer--didn’t  _ want _ to come any closer--as she watched them work, saw the urgency and the intensity and the absolute stubbornness that came not just from the others, but also from McCoy. She remembered the way he’d looked at her that first day on the beach, only three days before but feeling exactly like an eternity, the sharpness of his gaze and the clear intelligence that drove his thoughts at lightning speed behind it; she could almost feel his hands again, practiced and steady and yet gentle; she could still hear his voice as he stared down a creature almost twice his size who was filled with terror and desperation and still calmly murmured  _ I just want to help you, darlin’. _

It gave her hope, that memory, but the longer she watched the more that hope was swallowed up in sickening dread. Nothing seemed to be  _ working. _ Lifeless apprehension smoothed her face into anxious, muted heartbreak, and when everything finally went still Addie’s eyes fell closed in bone-deep sorrow. It was as if her body refused to react anymore, at least not outwardly: inside she felt like someone was carving pieces of her heart straight out of her chest and replacing them with oddly hollow ice, but outside she could barely muster up the energy to form an expression that was more than a tired sadness. Voices still filtered into her awareness, quiet murmurs, a time of death, and when Addie finally opened her eyes Leo was standing there with one hand on the lip of the tank, staring down at the child’s lifeless body with his jaw clenched up painfully tight and his brows pulled together in a way that distinctly reminded Addie of a small child in itself.

She knew this wasn’t the first. When she’d been down on the island helping to coordinate the rescue efforts they’d been forced to decide what to do with those who died on the ship (or hadn’t even made it there), but she hadn’t been _ there. _ She hadn’t been  _ watching. _

She hadn’t seen the look on Leo’s face or the tightness of his jaw or the vein that stuck out on the side of his neck as he steadily internalized  _ everything. _

With almost robotic steps Addie crossed the room and climbed up beside Leo. She didn’t speak, she didn’t touch him. Instead she reached into the water and lifted the child’s small, broken body out of the water so that she could tenderly, tenderly cradle it against her chest and rest her forehead against the little one’s one last time. She didn’t even realize that any kind of emotion had finally broken through that block until Leo’s hand came to rest on the back of her neck, right at the base, and squeezed gently as she broke down into tears.

“If there’s anything...anything your people do, it’s...all right. If you need to,” Leo told her, his voice soft enough to mask the emotion that still wanted to break it. The bodies of the others had been beamed back down to another spot on the island and given back to those merfolk who had come to help. They didn’t actually know if Addie’s people had any such traditions.

“Anything like what?” She asked, still sobbing weakly, unable to bring herself to lift her head. Leo had to clear his throat once before he answered.

“I...I don’t know. Klingons scream.”

“This...this is what we have,” Addie forced shakily out. “This is hello. This is I’ve missed you. This is...you mean much to me. This is--” She stopped, throat closing up, the words dying on her tongue. But she didn’t need to say it. It could mean anything, but what it meant to all of them in that moment was  _ goodbye. _

It was then when the doors to the cargo bay opened, and the doctor swore in exasperation as Llyr stepped into the room. Of  _ course _ he had to choose that moment to come in. Of course. But while Leo braced himself for the meltdown of the century, Llyr felt the air vanish from his lungs.

_ “Oh, my darling girl,”  _ He breathed, and Addie’s eyes lifted up to see her father.

_ “Pabbi.” _ Addie sobbed the name out and for a moment she wasn’t nearly thirty, she wasn’t even  _ ten, _ her heartbreak clear in her voice and her face and backed with the kind of lost expression children wore when they just couldn’t understand. Llyr swept through the room and up into the space Leo quickly vacated, reaching for the dead little girl in Addie’s arms so that he could get his own arms around his daughter--but Addie moved away with a shake of her head. “I can’t,” She breathed, barely even a whisper, and Llyr’s breath hitched audibly. He couldn’t bear to see his baby girl in so much misery.

“You must, Ádís,” He murmured gently, and tried again. Addie shook her head, but this time she didn’t back away, her face twisted with agony and  _ guilt _ that was somehow worse than before. Llyr eased the child’s body out of her arms and set it back in the tank, and then he pulled Addie in to press a kiss to her forehead and press their heads together just as she had done with the child. Addie clung to her father, hands twisted in the sides of his shirt, face turned up toward his as if that simple closeness could keep her from drowning.

“We have something. Tell me we have something,” Addie begged him, eyes closed and grip tight.

“They are working, but we have nothing yet,” Llyr replied, answering the half-question Addie had asked, knowing she was pleading for more of the serum that could ensure the lives of the other children in the bay. She nodded, even if the answer clearly did not help.

“Then will you tell me  _ why?” _ She tried again, and Llyr let out a soft sigh. Again he knew what she was asking, but this answer was harder to give than the other.

“Ingrid was with Ashtad the entire time. And they used my love for my little girl against me. The first time Ashtad escaped, I let her have her week’s head start so that Ingrid might live, or so I thought. When I finally found them again, several weeks later, I boarded the ship Ashtad was using at the time and attempted to steal Ingrid back and bring her home. Ingrid let me into her room, and then she shot me. They left me for dead on another planet, but despite their efforts I was found and nursed back to health. I have been searching for them ever since, but I had not seen a single trace until she reappeared two days ago,” He explained quietly, his eyes distant and shadowed.

“She  _ shot _ you?”

“Yes.”

Addie stood in silence for a little while, breathing in the familiar scent of her father--breathing at  _ all. _

“And now she’s trying to do it again. With Even and Vali.”

“And with you,” Llyr added, pulling back so that he could look down at his daughter. “Don’t think for a second Aphelion was chosen at random. She wants to get to  _ you. _ The more of my children she turns or breaks, the more likely she is to get what she wants. She knows this. She has always known this. That’s why she began working on Ingrid before I discovered what she was planning.”

“Does that mean Addie’s still in danger?” Leo spoke up, frowning with both concern and a distinct determination that surprised the king--and secretly pleased him.

“It is always possible. As I have explained to your captain, by placing yourselves on our side, you have brought danger to all of you; but Addie is a prize that certainly sweetens the pot.”  

Addie looked from her father to Leo and back again, cold fear and understanding in her eyes.

“Then I should leave,” She said, already plotting out her next moves.

“The  _ hell _ you should, we need you right here,” Leo denied instantly, before Llyr could even open his mouth. “Besides, you’ll be in more danger if you leave.”

“And  _ you _ will be in more danger if I stay,” Addie pointed out once more, defiant out of sheer protectiveness. Leo met her gaze steadily and lifted both eyebrows.

“We’ve handled worse than Eris,” He assured her darkly. Addie swallowed, anxious, even as Llyr smoothed his hands up and down her arms.

“Our people are assembling, they are on alert; I will assign extra protections to the Enterprise until this is all over,” He said. “I want you to stay here. I want you to rest.  _ This,” _ Llyr gestured to the tanks, “Is just as important as that out there. The captain has already told me that you’re the only one who can get them to settle, and we need the aid workers down in the city. Please, my sweet girl. Be our liaison.” He brushed a stray curl out of Addie’s face and smiled softly as she nodded, even if she didn’t seem entirely convinced. “Thank you, love. Now, I...think I have seen all I needed to see.” Which meant he’d really come to talk to his daughter, and he wasn’t about to push his luck. “We’re scrapping one of our own cruisers to beef up the Enterprise’s systems, though I believe Mr. Scott is planning on tearing my heart out through my kneecaps a little more viciously with every addition.” Leo was the one who snorted this time.

“Insulting his ship is like insulting another man’s woman. He’ll fight you to the death over it.”

“I was unaware that suggesting lifesaving upgrades was insulting his ship,” Llyr drawled, but there was enough play in the sparkle of his eyes that said he knew very well that for someone who loved his machine as much as Scotty did, any suggestion that didn’t come from him personally was an affront to his beloved starship.

“Do you have any ideas as to where she may be hiding?” Addie asked, reaching up to wipe the drying tears from her eyes and out of her lashes.

“If I know Ashtad, she hasn’t even left orbit,” Llyr replied, and Leo’s eyes went comically large.

“You really think she’s still in orbit? And we haven’t picked up anything on our sensors? How?”

“Oh, my dear doctor,” Llyr replied with a secretive little smile. “Let’s just say our cloaking systems make the Klingons’ and Romulans’ look like children’s toys.”

Addie remained in the cargo bay with Leo for the rest of the evening and part of the night. They tested her tank, and more than one crewmember snuck in to watch the mermaid swim. Some even had the guts to come all the way to the back and look up at her in awe, watching the way her blue and white curls fanned out around her in the water, placing their hands on the tank alongside hers and marveling at how much  _ bigger _ hers were. Addie was considerably less bothered with being ogled, this time: this time she didn’t feel like a creature under a microscope, she felt like the bridge toward a new understanding, and that felt  _ good _ like nothing had in a long time.

Getting her back out of the tank had been something of a problem that Scotty hadn’t pondered through yet, but in the end they lifted the tank’s sandy bottom like they had with the rest and then, once she was totally out of the water and stretched out across the wet sand, some poor sap was beamed back on board with a roll of sod that they’d cut out of the planet’s grass and rolled it out for her to roll onto. Once she’d dried off enough she was able to change back, but once again Addie found herself desperately wishing she could just change without it like her father could.

She made a note to ask her father about it later.

This time she actually agreed to go back to her room at a fairly reasonable hour,  _ actually _ sat down to eat for the first time in approximately two days, and attempted to go to sleep.

It was the sleep that was practically impossible.

Not because she was stressed or upset for herself. She’d learned to deal with that over the past few years, and even if the last several days were exponentially worse--and even if the next day was likely to come with Eris on its heels--the thing that kept Addie awake was the image of Leo standing over that dead little girl looking for all the world like it was everything he could do not to break down like she had. It was there when her eyes were open, and when they were closed; it was there in the place of her worry for her own family. It made no  _ sense. _

Except that it did. The rest she could not change. The rest she had done what she could with, and she had been benched. But this….

She had said she’d be glad to count Leonard as a friend and she meant it. Whatever else happened, she was happy to have that. And after what he’d done for her, she couldn’t let herself rest if she didn’t at least attempt to do something of the same.

Addie slipped out of her room in the same thing she’d worn all day, her sarong and bare feet, and padded quietly through the dimmed ‘night cycle’ of the ship. They’d had to stop by his room exactly once, only to drop something off before he’d walked her back to her own room on their way from another meeting with her father, the captain, and the commander, but once was enough to hopefully get her there as long as her tired brain was able to work everything backwards.

When the princess did get to what she thought was his door, she took a deep breath and then rang the chime.

Inside Leo sat in near darkness, his lights low and his spirits even lower. He couldn’t get the image of that little girl out of his head, couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d been barely younger than his own daughter. Couldn’t stop thinking about the way Addie had just...broken. God knew he’d seen her cry plenty over the past several days, and every time had been with excellent reason, but  _ that _ ...was just different. That hadn’t been a crash from high to low. That had been a lifeless drop from low to even lower, barely above rock bottom, and that ate at him as much as losing that little girl had. If there was any kind of god out there, truly, or the several gods Addie’s people seemed to be referencing all the time, then maybe that poor little thing was with her family again. Addie was just  _ stuck. _

The doctor finished off glass three and poured himself number four. It wasn’t the good stuff, after all. It was the please-god-if-you’re-out-there-make-it-stop stuff. The I’d-rather-feel-nothing stuff.

Of course, that  _ had _ to be when someone chimed at his door. Thinking it was probably Jim needing something weird and unnecessary in the middle of the damn night he sighed heavily and pushed himself to his feet, leaving his glass and the bottle on the table to be revisited. He was wearing the special, one hundred and fifty percent  _ not _ amused frown he typically reserved for the captain when the door opened--but when it was Addie standing there instead, he felt like someone had doused him with a big bucket of cold water.

Shit.

“Pri--uh--princess? What are you doin’ here?” He asked, trying to pull his shit together quick. “What’s wrong?”

Addie looked up at him for a moment without answering, green eyes seeing things he wished she couldn’t. All it took was one look for her to put the scene together, after all, what with the whiskey on his breath and the heartbreak in those eyes. She swallowed before she answered, her voice soft and just a little bit careful.

“I thought you might need a friend,” She murmured. Leo’s eyes slid closed and she could see the arguments building in his mind already.

“Addie, I’m--”

“Please don’t tell me you’re fine,” She interrupted him. “I know you’re not fine.”

“Yeah? And how the hell do you know that?”

“Because you look like shit,” Addie came back readily, her gaze unwavering. Leo looked down and huffed out a lifeless almost-laugh, and Addie fought to keep the pain out of her own face. “I know I’ve only known you for a few days, but I think you’ve let me see you a little more clearly than that, Leo.”

This time Leo’s jaw clenched and he swallowed too, nodding painfully slowly.

“Leo,” Addie tried again, her voice barely above a whisper. “I understand. Remember?” He gave another nod, but he didn’t look up, and Addie smoothed her hands down his forearms, took his hands, and led him back inside his own room. As the door shut behind them she stepped closer and tried to get him to look at her, but still he wouldn’t lift his eyes, and she realized his refusing to look up was less about her and more about trying to save a little bit of face.

“Okay.” This time she  _ did _ whisper, and with careful, hesitant fingers she reached up and placed her hands on his cheeks so that she could guide his head down. He could tell by the motion she wasn’t trying to kiss him, and as his eyes slid closed he obeyed the pull and let her rest their foreheads together in silence. A shudder rolled through him, a fight to keep his composure beneath that simple, innocent intimacy, and one hand slid back to cup the back of his head and hold him close as the other trailed lightly, delicately down his neck and chest to his stomach. “Just breathe,” Addie murmured, and he recognized his own words given back to him, his own touch repeated in kind. “Just close your eyes and breathe.”

They stood that way for a long time. Addie kept her eyes closed respectfully whether he did or not, breathing slow and steady just as he had for her, and after what seemed like hours she could finally sense the tension beginning to bleed out of the man before her. Even with his eyes still closed Leo shifted, lifting one hand to cup her head just like she did, and the other came to rest right over her hand on his stomach. It didn’t quite make her breath hitch, but it did warm her considerably, and the driving need that had kept her awake eased beneath his own touch. After another long time spent in silence Leo opened his eyes and just looked at her, studying her from closer than he’d gotten to be yet, really; that sweet, mischievous face that he’d seen smiling and sobbing, exhausted and seething. Everyone always wanted to warn the men off the girls’ hearts, but damned if he wasn’t already looking at her like she hung the moon and the stars to boot.

He was in so much trouble.

“Princess?” He ventured softly, and she hummed in answer in a way that just seemed to dig that hole a little deeper. “I know you said you liked to be impressive,” He began, and Addie broke into a wide, slightly sheepish grin, eyes still closed.

“Yes.”

“Well I think you might just be the most impressive woman I’ve ever met.”

Even with her eyes closed, confusion twisted Addie’s smile.

“How do you figure that?”

“You’re still smiling,” Leo answered simply, and finally she opened her eyes, her smile fading in slowly building surprise. “You keep going even if you might drop. You don’t back away from a fight even if you’re terrified. None of the punches thrown your way have been able to knock you down for good, and damned if you didn’t keep caring even when it rips you to shreds.” He kept his eyes on hers, watchful but intent as he tilted his head just so. “You’re impressive, Princess.” He shifted just a little bit more, pausing to let her pull away if she wished. “And I respect the hell outta you.”

Addie did nothing but stare at him for several heartbeats in mild shock. That wasn’t where she had seen this going at all. She really hadn’t come down there to be complimented or...even kissed, if he got his apparent way, but as she looked up into those green eyes she realized he was under no impression that she had.

“Thank you,” She murmured, and he smiled just a little, thinking the verbal thanks was a nonverbal ‘back off’. But she didn’t let him, her hand holding him in place, her own face angling up to meet his. “You know, I think you might owe me--”

Addie never got to finish. Leo closed that last bit of distance between them and cut her off with a kiss, slow and steady and lingering, and he couldn’t help but loose a pleased rumble deep in his chest when her fingers tightened in his hair and dug in lightly beneath his hand. When he finally pulled back he stayed just far enough away that she could speak, his eyes hot and hazy and pleased.

“You’re welcome,” Addie teased, and Leo smirked and leaned right back in for another kiss, this one intentionally deeper. She melted into it curiously, not bothering to tell him it had been fifteen years since she’d last been kissed--and whimpered uncontrollably as he did something with his tongue she’d never actually  _ thought _ about while kissing. Addie pulled back and breathed out a quiet  _ ‘shit’ _ as she forced her hands to relax again, and blushed wickedly red when she opened her eyes to find him staring at her with one eyebrow raised somewhere between smug and puzzled.

“You all right there, darlin’?”

“I--yes. I’m fine, I just….”

“You’re not about to tell me you’ve never been kissed, are you?”

“Does fifteen years ago count?”

_ “What?” _ Leo nearly choked, and Addie’s blush found a way to darken. “That’s a goddamn travesty. Come back here.”

“No--no,” Addie put both hands on his chest to ease him away with both eyebrows lifted. “We both need to sleep.”

“Who says we won’t sleep?” Leo purred, and Addie swallowed hard, trying to ignore the things that purr did to her.

“I wasn’t born yesterday, Dr. McCoy,” She snarked in return, and he chuckled mischievously.

“All right then, sleep here.”

Addie rolled her eyes and backed away, and then frowned with genuine wariness as he caught her wrists. The moment Leo saw it he let go and held his hands up, both eyebrows lifted in as sincere a non-threatening expression as he could manage.

“All I wanted to say was that I meant that,” He told her, keeping his hands up and away from her.

“Why on earth would I do that?”

“Because your people don’t like to sleep alone and I don’t particularly feel like being alone, either.” And he hadn’t realized he genuinely meant it until he’d already said it once. Addie eyed him suspiciously for a moment, and then she cocked her head to one side.

“This isn’t something human men typically offer.”

“No, it damn sure isn’t. Less so with me, to be perfectly honest.”

“You realize I have nothing to sleep in but this.”

“I’ll get you a t-shirt.”

“I have no undergarments.”

Leonard nearly swallowed his tongue.

“A...really big t-shirt.”

The princess awarded him another scrutinizing look, but finally she sighed and rolled her eyes, pretending she wasn’t secretly delighted by that offer.

“Get me a really big t-shirt, then,” She agreed, and couldn’t help but smile when faced with his own bright-eyed puppy grin. The shirt she pulled over her sarong before she untied it, and then she re-wrapped the fabric around her waist to eliminate just a little bit more of that temptation.

(It was for her as much as it was for him.)

Addie waited for Leo to climb into the bed first, he himself in a t-shirt and loose athletic shorts (another concession, she assumed), and then she crawled in and pretended her heart wasn’t beating through her rib cage as she tucked herself up against his side with her head on his shoulder. It pleased something light and sweet in her when his fingers found her hair and she heard his heart beating just as fast when she settled in a little closer.

“Goodnight, Leo,” She said quietly.

“Goodnight, Darlin’.”

She could hear the smile in his voice.  


	8. Green Eggs and Spite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when you come face-to-face with the monster and they actually have a point?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna have to start posting less frequently. Starting a new job + no wifi makes it a little difficult to write as rabidly as I had been, but no worries! This is in no way forgotten.

Leo hadn’t slept that hard in a long, long time. Sure, the drinking had a little bit to do with it, but there was something about Addie’s lean body burrowing in close to his that soothed his soul. She was exactly as cuddly as he’d expected her to be, even with his limited experience with her people, the princess becoming more limpet than mermaid as she sought the warmth of his body, and while that constant closeness might have gotten annoying with anyone else, there was something about knowing the significance of touch to her people that made it pleasant.

Even if he’d had to brush curls out of his face at least once.

Only partly awake, Bones let himself soak her in, knowing that this was the last calm before another storm, and then likely another, and then another. It was nice--

Until Jim came bursting into his room looking urgently concerned.

“Bones, have you se--” He stopped short as Addie lifted her curl-haloed, bedhead fluffed head out of the warmth of Leo’s chest, her eyes barely open enough to even _consider_ them open. “Princess,” Jim finished, that urgency deflating with a soft sigh and a shake of his head at the doctor. He cleared his throat as Addie fought to wake up properly, pushing herself up enough that it became clear very quickly that she was clothed.

Although it being _Bones’_ shirt didn’t really help.

“What’s the matter, Captain?” Addie breathed, wiping a hand down one side of her face, still asleep enough to really only whisper.

“We’re about ninety minutes to the close of Eris’ window,” He said. Addie straightened, sleepy green eyes finally opening up all the way. “Your, uh. Your dad couldn’t find you, and then nobody could, so….” Jim trailed off awkwardly as Leo pushed himself up on an elbow, staring at Jim with a sleep-heavy frown, hair askew--and that eyebrow in perfect form. “We’ll be in my ready room. Your dad wants to go over his plans when you--when you’re both ready.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Addie spoke a little louder this time, and Jim merely nodded and went on his way, rubbing his own face the moment Bones’ door closed behind him. He just _haaaaad_ to pick the princess. He just _had_ to.

Addie, too, waited for the door to close to react, and when it did she let out a soft sigh and looked down at Leo where he’d sunk back into the mattress, tucking her hair behind one ear tiredly. Leo ran his hand up her back from where he lay and she smiled softly.

“How’d you sleep?” Leo asked. They had an hour and a half, they could take thirty minutes or so to wake up. He could give her thirty minutes to breathe.

“Better than I did on the floor,” She replied, and he shook his head.

“Mean, mean woman,” He teased, and her smile widened into something that didn’t look quite so fragile. Addie eased herself back down onto her elbow and cupped Leo’s cheek with her other hand, and then she bent down and touched her forehead to his like she’d done the night before. “What’s this one mean?” Leo asked quietly.

“Good morning,” Addie told him just as softly. “Thank you.” She leaned back and carefully trailed her fingertips along his jaw, curiously feeling the stubble against her skin. “This means a lot to me.”

“Now don’t go givin’ me more credit than I’m due, Princess,” Leo deflected her thanks, his voice barely more than a delicious, sleepy rumble. “I asked for my own sake.”

“Still.” Addie leaned back down and did it again, and this time Leo closed his eyes and cupped her jaw in return. “Thank you.”

“Any time, Darlin’.” And he meant it. A few minutes more and Leonard sighed and pulled away slowly. “Alright, sweetheart. If I lay here with you any longer I’m gonna fall right back to sleep.” He sat up slowly, and then offered her a gentle smile. “I’m gonna take a shower. If you need to go, you go on. And if you don’t want to wear that out,” He nodded to the shirt with a hint of a smirk, “You can leave it right here for me to deal with. Sound good?” Addie nodded and he smoothed his hand down her back one last time before he got up to do just that.

When he came back out, uniform pants and undershirt on, hair still wet and messy from its toweling, Addie was still sitting on his bed on her knees with her sarong re-tied like a dress around her neck and his shirt folded neatly beside her.

She was paper white.

“I can’t go,” Addie explained softly, and she twisted her fingers up in ways that looked genuinely painful. The doctor sighed and stopped in front of her, tilting her face up to his with a knuckle.

“You made it through everything else, and you’ll make it through this. I got faith in you.” It wasn’t unlike the faith he had in Jim: no matter what asinine situations the captain got them into, Jim would always do his damnedest to get them through.

Even if his ‘damnedest’ was about the last thing he did.

“And if she just slaughters my brothers in front of us?”

“She might.”

Addie’s eyes flew open wide, stricken, but Leo’s gaze remained steady.

“I told you, Addie. I’m not a liar. That might just happen. It might not. But if it does, I’m telling you, you’ll be all right. It won’t be the same, but you’ll be all right.”

“And how do you know that?” Addie’s question was somewhere between incredulity and a real need for the comfort of that truth. Leo’s lips twisted with a mirthless smile even as shadows darkened his eyes.

“I’m an old hat at losin’ people, Princess. It may seem like the sun’ll never shine again, but one day, in spite of everything, it does.”

“That is...awfully poetic, Doctor,” Addie murmured after a moment, and this time Leo’s rueful smile was less painful to behold.

“Yeah, well. You know me.”

“A big softie?”

“Shhhh,” Leo shushed Addie quietly, placing a finger over her lips. “Now don’t go spreadin’ that around. I got a reputation to maintain.”

“You’re not doing a very good job,” She retorted, lips moving against his finger, one eyebrow lifted high and sassy. But despite her snark, Addie’s unrelenting anxiety still beat through her body, making her tense, restless; making her veins feel weirdly thick from the inside.

(She knew that was an impossibility, but still, cold fear beat strangely through her body.)

“Yeah, well. You have some annoying quality that makes it a lot harder.”

“Is it because I’m pretty?” She teased weakly, and Leo rolled his eyes.

“No. But that doesn’t help.” Leo dropped his hand from her lips and reached down to take Addie’s instead, gently but firmly working her fingers out of their twisting. “Addie, your father’s gonna need you,” He switched the subject quietly. “He’s gonna need you to be brave. He’s gonna need your courage.”

“I’m afraid I’m not very courageous,” Addie denied, letting Leo hold her hands away from each other. To her surprise Leo snorted _loudly._

“You went to look for your brother. You stood your ground in front of Eris with your head held high and you did the same with your governors. You went down to Aphelion and _kept going._ Don’t you dare tell me you aren’t brave.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“You had a million choices,” Leo refuted steadily. “And made all of the right ones.”

Addie stared at him in silence for a long several seconds. Her anxiety didn’t dissipate with Leo’s answer, but understanding came with it, and the faintest hint of pride—a tiny hint, but it was the small part of her that could recognize that he was right.

“Being brave sucks,” She forced out, blinking back tears in a decidedly frustrated manner.

“Honey, don’t I know it,” Leo agreed with a little encouraging yet playful half-smile. Addie laughed in spite of herself, and then pulled one hand back to rub the tears out of her eyes. Leo dropped her other hand and stepped back slowly until he could dig a shirt out of its drawer, still watching her carefully. “You ready to go?” He asked as he tugged it over his head and pulled at the hem to get it to sit right.

“No,” Addie replied sullenly, but she pushed herself up off of her knees and slipped off of the bed anyhow. She stood just to the side as Leo slipped his shoes on, and without a word she reached out and began to brush his hair into some kind of order with her fingertips, remembering the way he’d had it over the last few days as best she could. Leo stilled and when Addie noticed she froze, pulling her hands back to herself apologetically. “I’m sorry, I should have asked—”

“No, it’s...it’s alright. It’s just been a long time since anyone else did that.”

“Who was the last?” Addie asked as Leo stood, oblivious to the fact that her question was intrusive at best. The doctor stopped and stared down at the floor for a moment, and then he passed a hand over his mouth with a grim frown.

“My ex-wife,” He replied, and it was impossible to miss the tightness with which he answered. Understanding registered unpleasantly on Addie’s face, surprise and awkward uncertainty lacing the realization; but Leo didn’t give Addie time to respond. “You ready?”

“Ah—yes.” The princess picked her way stiffly past him, but before she could get out of reach he caught her arm and she turned back to look at him. Without a word Leo cupped the back of her head and touched his forehead to hers. “What’s this one for?” She asked, and the ghost of a smile flickered across his face.

“It’s gonna be all right.” And now she understood, in part, just how he could be so certain. Addie touched his cheek and then pulled away.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

When they did slip into the ready room Llyr was talking quietly, seriously with Spock, and the room fell still and silent when they appeared. Addie felt her cheeks heat up, but it wasn’t embarrassment: for once it was a strange combination of frustration and defensiveness.

She hadn’t forgotten the way the captain had shaken his head the moment he saw the princess in Leonard’s bed, and something about it touched a nerve. Not even her father gave her more of a look than mild concern, and that was soothed away when she shrugged and tilted her head to one side.

“Sleep.”

Llyr nodded.

“Okay.”

“Wait, _what?”_ Jim blurted out in shock, earning himself a death glare from the doctor, a surprisingly cold look from Addie, and an impressive lift of an eyebrow from the king himself. Spock cleared his throat.

“Captain, I believe we have other matters to focus our energies on,” He spoke before anyone else could get a word in. Jim looked absolutely mortified and even turned faintly pink; he wiped a hand down his face and shook his head to clear it.

“My apologies Your Majesty—Your Highness,” Jim said, hoping to god he hadn’t just started a war all on his own. “Please, uh—please continue.”

Addie liked Spock a whole lot more after that.

Jim sat and Spock pulled a chair out for Addie across the captain’s desk before Bones could even think about it, which earned the Vulcan a little _look_ all his own, but instead he stood as inconspicuously as he could behind Addie’s chair while Llyr shifted to be able to see all of them.

“You know we can’t give her what she wants,” Llyr said softly, looking only at Addie.

“I know.”

“And you know that this is the first in a cycle.”

“Yes.” Addie and Llyr stared at each other for a moment with matching, neutral expressions that said a whole hell of a lot more than they didn’t before the king moved on.

“As I’ve said before, the goal here is to get some kind of trace on her so that we can track her movements and hopefully prevent her from creating any more chaos. That means our priority must be to keep her engaged long enough to give Mr. Scott a chance to find her and lock on.”

“If I may inquire, Your Majesty, will your counterpart not be joining us?”

“No,” Addie answered instead, still looking at Llyr. “If they’re not making any concessions, one of them must remain in the palace. In times of crisis there must always be someone in place to re-exert control if necessary.”

“Then what is keeping her here when she realizes they have not met her first requirement?”

“Spite,” Llyr answered simply. “She has a spectacular need to let me know exactly where I’ve made my mistakes and how cruelly she intends to punish me for them.”

“Jesus, she sounds like my ex,” Leo muttered before he could stop himself, and Llyr looked him with the kind of cocked-eyebrow skepticism that the doctor himself had mastered, but just beneath the surface was a tiny bit of amusement.

“Your ex-wife is a mass-murdering psychopath with a deep-rooted need to own other sentient beings?”

“No, but she’s a spiteful pain in my ass who makes it as hard as possible for me to see my daughter, so I figured I could relate.”

Llyr shook his head slowly and genuinely began to laugh in bemusement--even as Addie blinked several times in shock. She very nearly asked--in fact she could feel the captain’s eyes on her as she drew in a small breath--but then she put it out of her head and looked back up at her father.

Even if that did explain _several_ aspects of the doctor’s personality.  

“Will I be a help or a hindrance if I stand by you?” Addie asked instead. She wasn’t trying to weasel her way out of it: she was realizing there was a chance her presence could bring more venom to bear in ways that would only bring her Pabbi more pain. Llyr stopped laughing and his face smoothed out of that bemused smile with a deep sigh.

“Most likely the answer is both. But I think I would rather have you there than not: if anything, she will enjoy...trying to make you turn on me. And we can use that.” Llyr clearly did not enjoy giving that answer any more than Addie enjoyed hearing it, as her color faded back to the same white it had been when Leo had come back out to find her still on his bed, but nevertheless she nodded resolutely. And if her fingers twisted together in her lap beneath the lip of the desk where they likely would not be seen by at least her father and the captain, no one chose to comment.

“And...if--”

“Don’t,” Llyr cut her off instantly, jerking his face slightly to one side even as his eyes snapped closed. “Don’t.” He didn’t want to contemplate a scenario where Ashtad decided that killing his sons was the best next step. There was nothing they could do if she did, and obsessing over it...well. It had been what the entire previous night consisted of anyway. Despite the captain’s clear disbelief, Llyr was infinitely grateful that, whatever had happened, his daughter had been able to find some kind of comfort before having to step up to face this all yet again.

“Captain?” Sulu’s voice came from the bridge and Addie jumped visibly enough that Leo’s hand found its way to her shoulder.

“I’m here, Mr. Sulu.”

“Captain, the ship has reappeared on our sensors. Eris is here.”

“She’s early,” Addie whispered, and Llyr offered her a mirthless little smile.

“I probably should have told you to expect that, too.”

“We’re on our way, Mr. Sulu. Thank you.” The captain and the commander both stood and left the room without another word: they both assumed father and daughter would want to have at least a short moment alone before the storm hit once again. Addie stood too, and it killed both of the men who remained to see the way her hands shook despite their hard twist.

But her back was straight and her chin was high, and when Llyr took her face in his hands to kiss her forehead and then touch their heads together, there was pride shining in his green eyes.

“My brave girl,” He murmured softly. “Whatever happens, never forget that I am so proud of you.” Addie nodded silently, and when Llyr pulled away and left the room she remained standing there with her eyes closed and her face upturned, simply breathing--deep and even in a way Leo could tell was forced. This time he wasn’t so sure his touch would be welcome, and so he stayed where he was, still just behind her.

“What’s her name?” Addie asked softly.

“Sorry?”

“Your little girl. What’s her name?”

Leo blinked and cleared his throat, finally realizing he’d dropped that on her pretty poorly, having assumed she knew because her father did--and realizing how stupid that was when she hadn’t even known he’d been married. Not that either was a prerequisite, but still...one made knowledge of the other somewhat less surprising.

“Joanna.”

“Joanna,” Addie repeated, her back still to him. She nodded slightly, almost dreamily, her brain clearly running with that. “That’s beautiful. ...Does she have any nicknames?”

“Yeah, we, uh...we call her Jo. Or JoJo if she’s feelin’ really silly. Or if I am,” He added just as quietly. Addie nodded again, and he could see the way her hands and arms were finally beginning to stop shaking. She took a step away and then turned so that she could look at him; there was still no color in her face, but she looked a little less petrified and a little more steady.  

“What’s she like?”

“Spittin’ image of me, actually,” Leo admitted with a rueful little smile. “Makes her mother crazy.” This time Addie actually broke into a smile, and she shifted to fold her hands in front of her much more gently.

“Will you...will you tell me more about her later?” Addie asked. Leo hesitated and she backtracked visibly. “Only if you feel comfortable. I don’t mean to impose, I’m just--”

“Curious as all get-out. I know, I can tell, you get this little look on your face even when you’re upset.” Some color returned to Addie’s face and Leo smiled just a little bit. “Let’s get through this, and then we’ll talk.” He had no problems making plans for afterward--in fact it was a great idea, giving her something to remind her the world kept spinning even after Eris--but Jo was a sensitive subject. He couldn’t promise Addie that. She nodded anyway, turned, and then turned back to look at him again.

And this time, Addie’s expression was harder, those green eyes dark and surprisingly unsettling with the anger that had suddenly risen to the surface.

“I hope her mother has the good sense not to speak badly of you when Jo’s around,” She said softly. “It hurts us too. And we don’t forget.”

Leo stared blatantly as Addie finally left the room, an unpleasant sort of ice trickling through his veins. There was no way that woman had said ‘good sense’, and while it had always angered him--he didn’t need anyone else tarnishing his reputation with his daughter any more than he probably did himself--it hadn’t quite occurred to him that it could hurt _Jo._

When this was all said and done, he was going to have some words with his ex-wife.

Out on the bridge Kirk had seated himself back in his beloved chair with Spock nearby, and Addie and her father were just ahead of him, waiting for Eris’ ship--currently on the view screen--to hail them in tense (and angry, in Addie’s case) silence. As Llyr reached to the side to give his daughter’s hand a gentle squeeze, Leo slipped back to the back of the room out of the way and tried not to think too hard about what he might have to see, too. The last few days had given him enough nightmare fodder to last the rest of his life.

“Captain, the enemy ship is hailing us,” Lt. Uhura called tensely.

“You know what to do,” Jim responded, and pushed himself to his feet with a glare. Eris’ face filled the screen, and it broke into a Cheshire grin as those eyes swept over her ex-husband.

“Ahhh, I _do_ see it now,” She purred as she looked back and forth between king and princess. “Those cheekbones, that _nose_. Although hers is much cuter than yours, I’m afraid. Downright adorable. Not quite like dear sweet Iggy’s, either, hers looks more like yours. Don’t you think, darling?” Another woman joined Eris on the screen and Addie realized she was looking into the face of her half-sister.

Ingrid looked like their father.

“Hi, Pabbi,” Ingrid greeted him with a bright smile and Llyr’s hand tightened around Addie’s subconsciously, sending cold fury sweeping through Ádís so intensely that for a moment she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t vomit directly onto the floor. Ingrid’s purple eyes washed over her sister and she lifted an eyebrow.  “Are you my replacement?”

Maybe Addie didn’t vomit, but fire did sweep down her spine with a shiver to sit hot and heavy in her stomach.

“I am no one’s replacement,” She retorted acidly, and Ingrid broke into a smile to match her mother’s.

“Oooh, you’re fiery. I see what you mean, Mamma. She could be very dangerous.”

As the two women continued to pick Addie apart, Jim folded his arms over his chest and hoped to god that somewhere down in engineering, Scotty was getting enough off that ship to allow them to undermine its cloaking devices and track them back to wherever it was they were planning to go next. He might not have been buddy-buddy with the princess, but he still hated watching her stand there and take it just so that perhaps her father and her people would not.

“Enough, Ashtad,” Llyr commanded, and the woman’s smile faded.

“You know that is no longer my name.”

“It is when I’m speaking to you,” Llyr growled, and Eris’ face twisted into a glare.

“Where is my former brother-in-law?”

“Not here.”

“Ah. So you’ve already decided your sons’ lives are worth so little?” She asked mildly, and Addie went rigid beside her father.

“We won’t be manipulated, Ashtad.”

“You were last time. Why is this any different? Have you finally had enough children to consider them expendable?” This time Llyr’s mouth curled into a snarl, but before he could respond Scotty’s voice rang out through the room.

“Captain, what in Hell lays a green bloody egg?”

“Excuse me?” Kirk responded, his face twisting into a mildly panicked frown as Eris’ eyes lifted to scrutinize him.

“A green bloody egg! I dinnae realize I’m in a damn Dr. Seuss novel! Are ya tryin’ to poison me?!”

“No, Mr. Scott, but I’m certainly beginning to think about it. Get off the com. _Now.”_

Eris shook her head and clucked her tongue, arms folding over her chest.

“This is the mess you choose to get in bed with. Over the lives of your innocent people, your innocent children, all in the name of what?”

“All of the other innocent people you plan on cleansing from existence,” Llyr replied steadily. Eris snorted.

“Innocence was not what killed our planet. Innocence is not what has forced us from our homes over and over for thousands of years. Innocence does not hunt and rape and murder us.”

“And massacring everything that _breathes_ will not make it end,” Addie spat vehemently. The other woman stilled and cocked her head to the side, looking at Addie with new eyes.

“That fire does not come from Llyr,” She murmured. “It is the same fire that burns within your brother, the blond--what is his name? Sunshine?” Addie stiffened as she used her brother’s private nickname rather than his real name, and beside her Llyr did too. “I suspect his twin would house the same kind of fire, if he was in any condition...but alas, I don’t think his stay is agreeing with him. Wheezy is an apt name for him, far better than Sunshine. Not very smiley, that one, unless you mean his eyes? Either way, ‘Wheezy’ is a little bit cruel, don’t you think? Especially from his family.”

Llyr wrapped his hand around Addie’s forearm as she drew in a shaking breath, recognizing the signs of the same rage he’d drawn out in her only the day before.

“I’ll tell you what, Princess,” Eris addressed Addie directly. “I’m going to give you from now until I hit my next target to decide whether or not you want to come and try our side on for size. I can see the rage in you, little one. The same rage your sister and I feel. They try to tell you it is best to swallow it, but in thousands of years, exactly how many assaults against our sisters has that stopped?” She let that hang a moment. “Make the right decision, and I will release your brothers in exchange for you.” Her brown eyes roved slowly around the room, and then finally, finally they came to rest on Captain Kirk once more.

“If you’re lucky, I’ll make it quick.”

With that the screen went blank and Kirk whirled around to look at Spock.

“You’d better fucking tell me Scotty really does have that signal, Commander,” He demanded furiously, his own heart pounding in his chest.

“I’m still listening, Captain,” Scotty spoke up for himself. “And aye, I’ve got what we need, oh ye of little faith! Her ship’s cloaked alright, but we can see her plain as day. Thank His Majesty for me, that poor scrapped ship did the trick.”

“You got it, Scotty. Mr. Sulu, keep an eye on that ship, and if she moves out of orbit, I want to know immediately. Now,” He turned back around to look at Llyr and Ádís, but though Llyr turned to look at him, the princess remained facing the screen as if she could still see their faces, her hands curled into fists so tight there was a very good chance she was tearing into her skin with her own nails. Jim hesitated only a second before he kept right on going. “We’re going to need to figure out what her next target is going to be and then find a way to take her down before that happens. Got any ideas?”

Llyr started to answer, but Addie’s voice cut him off, soft and distant.

“Earth,” She replied. “She’s headed for Earth. She wasn’t looking at us when she said she might make it quick. She was looking at the captain.” Behind her back the crew all looked around at each other, cold dread and determination welling up within them with fiery intensity, but she didn’t notice. She was too busy seeing her brothers’ faces, feeling the tightness of her father’s hand, watching her half-sister smile and noting all over again how much she looked like their dad.

Too busy hearing Leo say _JoJo, if she’s feelin’ really silly._

Too busy trying to figure out how she could make it stop.

“Captain, Eris’ ship is moving out of orbit on full impulse,” Sulu spoke up in the silence that followed.

“How much distance do we need to keep between us and them to keep them from noticing we’ve got a lock?” Kirk asked Llyr quietly.

“Keep her within reach of your long-range sensors until you’re certain you can follow her trail at a greater distance and then fall back. This would have been easier if you would have allowed us to retrofit the Enterprise with our newest cloaking technology,” Llyr said for what must have been the hundredth time.

“And I already told you, Your Majesty, the Federation forbids the use of cloaking devices on Federation starships. A standard they will hold you to if your people do become members,” Kirk replied for his own hundredth time. “Mr. Sulu, you heard the man. Let Eris get out into the outer stretch of our long-range sensors and then follow, but let her outpace us. If she does pick us up, it’s gonna be a lot more obvious if we’re maintaining a specific distance.”

“Aye, Captain.”

That order given, Jim looked pointedly at Addie’s back and then up at her father with a concerned frown. Llyr opened his mouth, but Addie turned before he could speak and forcibly uncurled her fists, ignoring the blood oozing slowly out onto her palms.

“Unless I am needed, I would like to go back down to the cargo bay with the children,” She said, pretending she couldn’t feel the faintly nauseated, shell-shocked expression plastered on her face.

“Go ahead,” Jim agreed with a nod. He waited until she got past him to turn and look back at Bones, and jerked his head toward the princess in a painfully obvious order to follow her. Not that he really needed the order, but Bones nodded and filed out after, watched by both captain and king.

“She doesn’t leave this ship,” Llyr told Kirk quietly.

“No, of course not,” Jim agreed, frowning. He couldn’t see why that even had to be said, but nevertheless Llyr met his gaze with chill-inducing intensity and did not blink.

“She does not leave this ship,” He repeated. “No matter what she says or does.”

“You think she’ll try?”

 “I think it is a large enough possibility that we cannot rule it out. Ashtad was not wrong when she said Addie doesn’t get that fire from me. I have my own...sense of justice, and I will do a very great deal to accomplish what I need, but Addie is very like her father, Kee. If she can do it with a group, great, but if she can do it alone and take the fire herself, she will leap head first and accept whatever pain comes her way with no regard to consequences. She’d have to survive them first.”

“So what you’re saying is your daughter is a mermaid princess kamikaze.”

“Essentially, yes.”

_"Great.”_

 “Your Majesty,” Spock piped up, head tilted to one side, a curious frown on his face. “You say that Addie is like her father, but...are you not also her father? If it is not too intrusive a question, how...does your species reproduce from two males?”

“Three, in her case,” Llyr told Spock calmly, and even the Vulcan blinked several times, his frown deepening. “And the answer is fairly simple. I am, technically speaking, her mother.”

Spock and Jim both opened their mouths to speak, stopped, blinked, and then closed them back in tandem.

_“Fascinating.”_


	9. Ádís

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashtad knows exactly how to exploit Llyr's weaknesses; but Addie is pretty sure she--with the invaluable help of Bones--has figured out a way to turn it back around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so, it's been a liiiiittle bit since I've posted. I know. But believe me, things are still moving forward! I have not forgotten these smol, traumatized space babies.

The doctor caught up with Addie at the turbolift and slipped inside just as she started to give her level. Leo spoke over her and gave the level not for the cargo bay, but for the med bay, and met her gaze steadily as she turned to frown at him.

“Why are we going to medical? You have the same equipment in the cargo bay.”

“And a whole lot less privacy.”

“You don’t need privacy to fix the holes in my hands.”

“Who said that’s all I’m plannin' on doin’?”

“I’m not making out with you in your office,” Addie sassed quietly, and Leo closed his eyes for a second.

“Hadn’t gone there, princess, but thanks for that.” He blinked his eyes open and took a deep breath. “I want to talk to you, sweetheart. You did ask for that.”

“I have a feeling I’m not going to get quite what I asked for,” Addie replied tiredly. She stepped off the lift and followed the doctor down to his office in silence, finally beginning to feel the sting in her hands.

“Nope, probably not,” Leo agreed as he waved her into his office ahead of him. He sat her down across the desk from him and quietly asked her to stick her hands out, palm-up, so that he could see. What he saw made him whistle softly. “Your nails aren’t like ours, are they.”

“No. They’re closer to claws than human nails. Much stronger. Hold an edge.”

“Jesus, you all sharpen these things?”

“If you lived at the bottom of the ocean, you’d want to have sharp claws, too. Obviously we are the higher predators, but that doesn’t stop the biggest creatures from doing some damage. I’m surprised no one has seen anything yet with the smell coming off the city.”

“It’s very possible that they have,” Leo said as he pulled out a small regenerator and set to work on her hands, “And we just haven’t heard. Hang on a minute—how come you didn’t claw me up last night?” The realization had finally hit the doctor, and Addie smiled dryly.

“We don’t file them to razors. You would have noticed that immediately. We file them just enough to help penetrate flesh when we want to; and last night I didn’t want to.”

“But you did just now.”

“I wanted to put my claws in _her_ just now. My hands were the next best thing,” Addie growled softly, a black enough look in her eyes that Leo’s worry practically doubled.

“Yeah, about her,” Leo shifted the subject slightly as he switched hands. “I know they spouted a lot of bullshit, but there were a couple good things hidden in there.” Addie’s head snapped up like he’d caught her misbehaving and he frowned. “Like your brothers are alive,” He added, watching her carefully. She blinked and let out a small breath, her shoulders hunching slightly.

“Yes. Thank gods.”

“And I have a feeling she’s gonna keep them alive as long as possible. She still thinks they’re the trump card.”

“Of course she does. It worked the first time,” Addie sighed, flexing the one healed hand in and out of a fist. Leo nodded and then elected to stay silent as he finished up her other hand, fitting Addie’s reaction into a bigger—darker—picture.

“You think she had a point.” It wasn’t a question, and even though Leo set the regenerator down, he trailed his fingertips across her palm in a way that was meant to soothe. Addie’s fingers twitched as she fought to keep her palm open and not jerk back defensively, but her gaze was intense enough to burn holes into their hands as she watched the motion.

“She _did_ have a point.”

“Maybe she did. You’d know better than me. But I think it’s pretty safe to say that going full-on radical terrorist isn’t the way to fix it. Hell, even meeting her in the middle isn’t gonna fix it, you can’t compromise with someone that fuckin’ crazy. But maybe you can think good and hard about the stuff you agree with and see if you can use that to change what you’ve been doin’.”

Addie was silent for a long time after that. She sat there with both hands still stretched out before her, right in front of Leo, eyes fixed on the places where the gouges had been—sat there until Leo reached out and covered her hands with his own and slid them up until he could trace shapes into each forearm. He didn’t like this, didn’t like the way her mind was working, didn’t like the distance in her eyes. Especially not when he knew how little her own life meant to her right about then.

“You can’t use her offer as a way in,” He finally told her. Addie blinked and looked up at him in surprise. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where your head’s at. And I’m not exactly stupid.”

“I have _something_ I can finally do, Leo. A way I may be able to _help_. And you’re telling me not to take it?”

“I’m telling you you’re not that naïve, and I can’t imagine a single person who could ever meet you and think you haven’t been helping.”

“Naïve? To think I may be able to save my brothers and give us an advantage? What happened to believing in me?”

“All right, then, walk me through it. Eris trades your brothers for you. Probably insists on the use of shuttles because I’ll be damned if I believe she’ll drop those shields even for a second. Then what?”

“Then I earn her trust and find a way to send the information back to my father.”

“I’ve found at least three glaring miscalculations already. First of all, you’re assuming Eris is gonna play fair. She blew up your goddamn city without warning, Princess, she’s not gonna play by the rules. The moment the shuttles move far enough past each other she’ll extend her shields and beam you aboard even as she opens fire on the shuttle carrying your brothers. Not only has she then established that she _will_ murder Llyr’s other children, she has his other baby girl. His _last._ Llyr’s compromised. He’s now unfit to serve his people in a manner that doesn’t include reckless rage and vengeance and is likely at odds with his brother who’s just trying to keep his kingdom together, and on top of that, the person to take his place is your big brother, right? Who’s now lost three siblings and most likely the sanity of his father, and who’s now torn between wanting to care for his people and do right by his family—not to mention saddled with the weight of knowing he’s _it._ There are no other heirs. And you? You’re at Eris’ mercy. Have I missed anything?”

“Dear _gods,_ you are the most efficient hope killer I’ve ever met,” Addie breathed. “There _are_ other outcomes.”

“In another universe, maybe. Addie you can’t pretend I’m not right. I _know_ you see it. Stop throwing out everything that doesn’t fit some harebrained scheme.”

Addie mouthed silently for a moment and then pulled her hands back into her lap.

“Your daughter is on that planet.”

“And if I thought putting you on that monster’s ship would save her, I would be tryin’ to find a way to do it,” Leo told her quietly. Addie held his gaze for a moment before her intense stare broke, and she folded her arms over her stomach and collapsed forward just a little bit more.

“How are you staying so calm?” She asked finally. Leo rubbed his eyes and sighed.

“I’m the CMO. When your Chief Medical Officer starts wiggin’ out, people get hurt,” He told her roughly. Addie shook her head slowly.

“I’m the goddamn princess and I can’t hold it together.”

“You’re not being fair to yourself. I’ve got a potential threat that may or may not be legitimate depending on the whims of a madwoman. You’re on the brink of losing a nation.”

Addie laughed sharply, disbelief written on her face, and Leo rubbed his face a little harder.

“Sorry. That...was not the way to say that.”

“No.” Addie’s hands ran up her arms like she had done the day before while screaming at her father, and the sheer helplessness in her eyes ate at the doctor.

“Princess?” Leo ventured. He waited until she looked up at him to continue. “I’m scared to death.” The admission stole Addie’s breath and her eyebrows drew together, but rather than the pity he’d feared, Addie’s face melted into a empathetic, puppy-eyed frown. “But I have to keep everyone else in one piece.”

“...So you spend your evenings like you did last night?”

“So I spend my evenings like I did last night,” Leo agreed softly, hating the understanding in her eyes—but not as much as he hated the fact itself.

“Is that what happened?” Addie’s question was barely more than a whisper and she regretted it the moment those shadows doubled in Leo’s eyes when he realized what she was asking, but he didn’t avert his gaze for more than a second.

“That...didn’t help.”

Addie nodded and let silence fall after that: she wasn’t asking any more questions. He’d given her more than she deserved. Leo, too, let that silence hang, but he was off someplace else, some _time_ else; it was only broken when Addie reached back across the desk and held her hand out, palm up, a silent offer of comfort and distraction.

There were things you didn’t do when you were trying not to get attached. In a situation like theirs, some of those things had been genuinely unavoidable, but he was pretty good at distancing himself even then at that point. The night before, however, had been a big, glaring fuck-up. He let her in. Into his room, into his pain, into his exhaustion. He could pass it off on the alcohol if he wanted but in reality, that had only made it easier to accept what he’d already hoped for. Even answering her personal, personal questions had been something of a mistake. This was another one of those situations, another one of those things that you just Could Not Do if you wanted to be able to part with any sort of ease: if he accepted that gentle, astonishingly intimate touch (every touch between their people and others seemed to be so intimate, there was a reverence in that closeness that boggled his mind) one more time, even after not quite a week, he’d be playing Russian roulette with six bullets instead of one and he had a feeling that gun would be shooting for both of them.

That didn’t mean he didn’t think Addie knew what she was doing. But that didn’t change the fact that the closer they got, the harder it would be when she finally went home, and...well. Addie’s extending her hand even after finally seeing exactly the sort of godawful pessimist he really was spoke to a kind of easy forgiveness that was pretty damn tempting. He stared at her hand for several beats, and though Addie could see the fight in him (and understood the fight in him, to a point), she didn’t retract her hand. His fingers twitched toward her hand once, and then she saw the opposition crumble in his face as he took her hand anyway.

“Even friends hold hands,” She murmured as she held his one hand in both of hers. “Even _human_ friends hold hands.” Addie offered him a warm little smile and he blinked up at her in surprise: it had finally occurred to him that maybe...good god, maybe she _was_ just trying to be a friend, and there he was...catching _feelings._

Oh, the fucking irony.

“Tell me, Princess. Are you this affectionate with all your friends?” He asked. It was meant to be teasing, and that crooked smile mostly pulled it off if you ignored that slightly-too-focused gaze.

“...Almost,” Addie replied with a playful smile.

Leo _really_ shouldn’t have been relieved by that response.

“Do you treat _your_ friends like this?” She asked in kind, and Leo cleared his throat and shifted a little. That alone was enough to make Addie’s little smile turn into a smirk.

“Not exactly,” He admitted, unable to keep the smile off his own face entirely, and Addie’s smirk only widened.

“I didn’t think so,” She murmured. Another silence fell, surprisingly comfortable, and perhaps it wasn’t any happier but it was certainly less crushing. “We should probably go soon,” Addie spoke up after a moment. Leo nodded in agreement and then pulled his hand back so he could stand.

“Hey,” He called quietly as Addie turned to lead the way out of the room. She turned and looked at him with both eyebrows lifted, expression open, and something in it made him hesitate for half a beat; she didn’t deserve to have to worry about all of this. “Remember what your Pabbi said, Darlin’. You’re still in danger. Eris doesn’t want you as an ally; she’s coming for his heart. And that means his children.”

Something in his words managed to hit home in a way nothing else had.

_She’s coming for his heart._

Addie’s open expression cooled and sharpened, and then a light sparked behind her eyes.

“Then we come for hers. Excuse me.” Addie didn’t go down to the cargo bay, she went in search of her father, and found him--surprisingly enough--in her own room.

“Hello, little one,” Llyr greeted her from the small desk, where he sat making notes the old-fashioned way: pen and paper, with lots of words and little half-sentences scratched furiously out. “I can’t seem to focus,” He admitted as Addie stopped just behind him, standing just to the side so that she could look at what he was writing. The admission pained her in light of what Leo had finally gotten through her stubborn, angry head, and she rested a light hand on his shoulder.

“What are you working on?”

“Some kind of plan. Something...that will help ensure the safety of Earth as well as our own people. Something that will bring them home.” Llyr didn’t need to elaborate on ‘them’. “I was attempting to plot out the best allocation of ships and fighters, but--”

“She wants to make us dance, Pabbi. It won’t matter to her if we know where she’s going, she practically set out a blinding arrow. She wants to see us scramble. She wants to feel powerful. She’s succeeding.”

Llyr opened his mouth to speak and then stopped, his face smoothing out in realization.

“I’m too old to be this shaken,” He finally murmured, and Addie’s throat began to tighten.

“She isn’t a stranger, Pabbi,” Addie murmured. “She was your wife, she knows what will hurt you best. Any good father would be shaken. Which...is why I’m here.”

Llyr set the pen down and then turned completely around to look up at his daughter with a suspicious frown.

“Go on.”

“Let me take back over. Whatever she may know about me, it isn’t anything close to what she knows about you, and now we know she’s intrigued by me. I surprised her. That means I can do it again.”

“Addie, you’ve done enough.”

“No. I’m seeing this through. You’re not benching me again,” She refused earnestly. “I fell apart, I ate something, I showered, I slept, I’m fine.” Llyr breathed in with clear intent to argue that point and Addie felt that familiar stubbornness and indignation rise up within her. “I’m thinking more clearly than you are. I have no real connection to those women. I love my brothers desperately--” That fact was evident in the risk she’d taken just to find a _trace_ of what might have happened to Vali-- “But I didn’t carry them. I didn’t nurse them. They are not my babies.”

Pain flickered in her father’s eyes, but Addie fought to remain steady. Leo’s insight had cleared a path for the raging fury and it gave her a focus much like her outrage the day before. Beating a thousand-year spectre on a racing clock was impossible; dealing with people was not. _That_ was where Addie excelled.

“If you’re thinking of out-maneuvering her, Addie….” Llyr trailed off and shook his head with a warning clear in his eyes. His denial wasn’t met with more indignation; no, as Addie met her father’s gaze, she broke into a small, vicious smirk.

“There’s no need to out-maneuver her when all you need is one good hit to her heart to tear it straight out of her body. I just need you to show me where it is.”

“Dead, Ádís. It is dead.”

“I don’t think it is. In fact, I’m almost certain it isn’t.”

“No? Then why did you ask?”

“Because I think whatever is left is clinging to Ingrid with everything in it. She’s come for your children because she knows we are your weak point, but did she not ensure your daughter would remain loyal to her when Ashtad finally made the separation? Are you really going to tell me that she housed this fire for a thousand years without someone to keep it alive? She lost the first war. She could have let herself age and then die, but she did not. I think she believes she’s doing this for Ingrid.”

“Addie...come here.” Llyr ordered gently, the weight of every one of his thousands of years coming crushing down on his shoulders and filling his eyes with shadows. She followed her father as he stood and moved to the bed so that she could sit beside him, and then he took her hand and smoothed it flat along his palm, smiling sadly as he remembered how _small_ those hands once were.

“When Ingrid was seventeen, she snuck out. Transformed on a beach where she’d hidden clothes and went out to drink in a pub on dry land, with _their_ people. I forget what they called themselves, but with a proper headdress she would not have looked terribly different from their species,” He began softly. “No one-- _no one_ \--knew she had gone. She had, and likely still has, an uncanny ability to pass unnoticed. But because we did not know she had gone...we did not know that she needed help.”

Addie frowned, her stomach feeling oddly cold and heavy.

“Help...with what?” She asked, though a part of her already knew.

“Help with the men who followed her,” Llyr answered, his voice barely acceptable even as a whisper. He squeezed his eyes shut and took several beats to compose himself, his skin ashen even to his lips, and shook his head gently. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know she needed me. Needed _us_. But my baby girl…she had done only what any normal teenager might have done….

“They dumped her in the ocean, not knowing what she was. Ingrid was found, and brought to us unconscious, and when we brought her back into an air chamber to change her form we saw what they had done.” Llyr’s hand shook beneath Addie’s, pain and bitterness and guilt twisting his face into a broken frown. “Things were never the same between Ashtad and I after that. She blamed me, she blamed the entire species that hurt Ingrid. I know, now, that was the moment when she stopped being fiercely protective, as I was, as we had been together, and turned to hatred. To vengeance. There was a time when Ingrid forgave me, clung to me, even; she understood that I would have done anything, _everything_ had I only known. And yet, unbeknownst to me, Ashtad began to undermine that understanding. She twisted Ingrid’s anger to match her own and made my daughter believe I was the one who should be punished not just for my failings as a protector for my child, but for all our people, even when Ashtad knew just how impossible a line it is to walk without stumbling.” Llyr turned Addie’s hand and held it between both of his own, then.

“You are right, my darling: aside from herself Ashtad cares for one person alone; but it has grown beyond Ingrid. It was likely beyond Ingrid already, she was merely given the push she needed to go over the edge. I do not think coming after our child will produce the results you seek.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Addie murmured, staring at their hands. She was still cold, and sick, and could feel the panic from days before trying to reassert its grip on her as the mere mention of Ingrid’s attack triggered memories of her own, but she did not hesitate.

“Are you suggesting I kill my own daughter, Ádís?” Llyr drawled softly, something...not quite dangerous in his tone, but it wasn’t exactly comforting, either. It was a warning more than anything.

“No, of course I’m not. You can’t go anywhere near her. I’m suggesting _I_ go after her. Bring her here, or anywhere else. Douse the flames, Pabbi. Remove the oxygen. If her focus shifts, we have the upper hand.”

“And if you are caught or killed?”

“Uncle can step in. Alanna. Anyone. She can’t have something on everyone. She’s been gone too damn long.”

“And your brothers?”

“We’ll take them, too. If we do this properly, we can at least remove her leverage in a single hit.”

“And how do we do this without our own ship and crew?”

“What are you talking about?” Addie replied, a small smile growing just so across her face. “She’s threatened Earth with mass attacks. Further genocide. She’s just threatened acts of war against the Federation. She may think she has the power to sustain that, and perhaps she does, but the Federation is not a might that can be ignored. That also, I believe, allows Captain Kirk and his crew to take a more...intrusive role in this little game of hers. If they agree...we have a ship and a crew right here.”

Llyr stared at Addie in silent disbelief, studying her as if he’d never seen his daughter before.

“What did they feed you?” He asked, shaking his head slightly, and Addie’s smile widened and sweetened. “We did something right, at least, when we raised you.” Llyr drew in a slow, deep breath. “I don’t want to say yes to this. But not only do we have no other options…this might still have been the best if we did. The captain has already moved to inform his superiors of Ashtad’s threats, and as long as Starfleet and the Federation continue to take this seriously, we may very well have the cooperation we need.”

Addie nodded seriously and then blinked when Llyr reached out and smoothed a hand over her curls softly.

“I am glad that I have been blessed with children who are willing to support their old father once they realize I am, indeed, entirely fallible,” He said. “And I am more proud than I could ever say at your strength and your intelligence. At your resilience. I only ask that you remember that we are stronger together, all of us. If we are to have a hope of this working, you must trust this crew.”

Ádís smiled dryly and shook her head, but not in denial.

“Pabbi, they risked their lives to save mine and continue to do so. I have never trusted anyone so readily as I do Jim Kirk and his crew.”

“And his doctor,” Llyr added, a gentle tease. What sort of father would he be if he didn’t? Addie rolled her eyes and turned a faint pink, and her father smiled a little wider, but before he could continue down that path the communicator he’d left on the desk chirped.

“Wait—why wasn’t I given a communicator?” Addie said as Llyr stood and picked it up.

“Probably because you’ve been running around without any place to keep it,” Llyr sassed, lifting an eyebrow at her sarong. Clothing was kept at a minimum with their people and no one was ashamed, but Addie had enough experience with humans under her belt—a decade and a half previous though it may have been—to know humans drew a few lines still. The king flipped open the communicator.

“Yes?”

“Your Majesty, are you near your daughter?” McCoy’s voice came through the communicator and Llyr lifted an eyebrow at Addie.

“I am indeed, Doctor.”

“I’m right here, Leo, what is it?” Addie spoke up, unwilling to give her father any more fodder.

“Well, Princess, we’ve got a little bit of a situation.” The short silence that followed his answer reminded him just who he was talking to. “Not a fatal one. Someone is awake, and I’m pretty sure they’re trying to talk to us.”

Addie shared a look with Llyr and then stood.

“I’m on my way. Pabbi—”

“I will bring your plan before the captain and your uncle.”

“And—”

“And send ships to Earth, along with the schematics of our cloaking devices and how Mr. Scott managed to marry our tech within their own systems.”

“...Oh.”

“That _was_ what you were going to say, was it not?”

“The first part. The rest was just this.” Addie pulled her father down so that she could touch their heads together and placed her hand over his heart tenderly. “I love you, Pabbi. Come and find me when you’re through?”

“If we don’t require your presence first,” Llyr agreed gently, pretending his warm, adoring smile wasn’t a hair’s breadth from being suspiciously fragile.

The sight that met Addie when she reached the cargo bay stopped her in her tracks. Her fingers found her lips before she realized she’d moved them, and it took everything in the princess not to melt into the floor. Only a few feet away Leo was pacing the room carrying two of the children. The first’s tail—the exact shade of early leaves sprouting in the spring—was wrapped around his waist as they clung with their green fingers lightly gripping the hair at the nape of his neck; and the other, their skin white as snow and their tail just barely tinted blue, wrapped its arms around Leo’s head and loosely draped its tail over both Leo’s shoulder and the other child’s entire upper half. It took a moment for Addie to pull herself together, and then very softly she let out a high-pitched whistle and watched their little heads perk up, one green head lifting out of the crook of the doctor’s neck, the other lifting a bright white chin up off of the top of Leo’s head.

“That you, Princess?” Leo asked as he turned, leaning back just enough to see out from under the arms wrapped around his head.

“It’s me,” She said with a grin. “How did you know to do that?”

“What, pile ‘em on top of each other? Saw you all doin’ it the other day. Figured they had to be used to it.”

“Did they settle?”

“As a matter of fact, they did,” Leo replied, clearly pleased with himself. Addie stepped forward and held out her hands to the one blocking the doctor’s view; it peeled itself away from his head and let her tuck it around her front like the green child.

“What were they doing that made you call me down?”

“Pulling themselves up out of the water by the lip of the tank and whistling at us,” Leo grumbled, and Addie dissolved into near-cackling laughter instantly. The little one in her arms leaned back to look at her, using her long hair to steady itself in a way that should have made anyone else wince, and gave a little, chirping, inquisitive whistle. The princess quieted and then leaned down to rest her head against theirs, letting go of them in order to sign once she straightened back up. The hands and tail kept the child right where they had been, but when Addie slid her hands back down to support them the kid released her hair and signed and whistled in tandem.

“This is Fionnbharr,” Ádís introduced him, looking over at Leo, who arched an eyebrow high. “Fee, if you don’t want to try saying all of that.”

“How in the hell did you get that out of what he just did?”

“Just because it makes no sense to you doesn’t mean it’s nonsensical gibberish to me, Doctor. It’s an old Irish name, dates back beyond humanity’s sixth century.”

“And let me guess. You all were there.”

“I believe a few of us were, yes.”

“So what, do your people learn the etymology of every name in use?”

“Oh, no,” Addie chuckled, her eyes back on the kid as he urged her back in to touch their heads together. “It’s a hobby of mine. Or it was, when I had the time.” An impatient whistle sounded from the child in Leo’s arms and Addie lifted her own eyebrow. “Goodness me, little one, so insistent,” She teased. The same process was repeated—easier, since Leo wasn’t the one trying to sign—and then Addie’s face smoothed out in mild shock.

“What? What is it?” Leo demanded seriously, looking back and forth between the two intently. Addie shook her head and cleared her throat.

“Her name is Ádís,” Addie explained softly, and Leo’s face smoothed out just the same.

“Just like you?”

“... _After_ me.”

 _“After?_ ...Oh yeah. Royalty,” Leo realized, looking down and the green little mermaid in his arms almost awkwardly. Addie didn’t answer him. Instead she let out another whistle and worked through some signs, and whatever she said made the younger Ádís begin whistling excitedly. “You just tell her you’re the princess?”

“She seems to be taking it well,” Addie giggled. “She’s a little older than he is, I doubt he remembers ever hearing my name.” More whistling and signing and Addie nodded in understanding. “They’re hungry. For ‘real’ food. That has to be a good sign.”

“That’s an excellent sign. What can we get ‘em? What did we have that you can stomach?”

“Most anything you have we can technically eat.”

“I’m gonna need you to do better than ‘technically’, sweetheart.”

“Clams? Muscles? Something that comes in a shell.”  

“Do they need to be in the shell?” Leo asked, trying not to make the sentiment of ‘is that really smart for children’ too obvious on his face.

“Of course. They eat the shell,” Addie replied, and this time the doctor’s ‘what the actual fuck’ came through much more strongly. The princess snorted and dissolved into giggles. “I’m kidding. But most of the time they can open them on their own. Helps to slow them down so they don’t gorge themselves sick, anyway; but if you don’t want to make them do the work, I would start small.”

“And we do this in the water?”

“Unless you’d prefer them cracking open clam shells on your head,” Addie affirmed with a smile. Leo rolled his eyes and then went stock still as the lights dimmed and an alert notice came popping up on every screen that wasn’t medical equipment, alongside the announcement that they were being taken to Yellow Alert.

“Princess,” He said, gentle and yet deadly serious, “I think you’d better head back to your room.”

“What does this mean?” Addie asked, looking warily around her as the other medical staff looked at each other and then at the tanks—unsecured, without some kind of safety cover, right in a cargo bay with nothing but a door between them and the vacuum of space.

“Either they found somethin’ they don’t like,” Leo explained darkly, “Or it found us.”


	10. Willing Players

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death doesn’t discriminate, but people do—and telling the sinners from the saints is harder than you think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to all the readers who have stuck with me for ten chapters now and to any of you who’ve just stumbled upon TES recently! Thank you x a million for reading!!
> 
> Also a heads up, I’ve been without WiFi since...March? Maybe late February, and I’m posting on mobile, so if something comes out strange I apologize!

“I would rather stay here,” Addie denied, but it wasn’t an argument, it was a request. “I think perhaps I’ve been away from them enough.” She meant while they were in danger and Leo knew it, but before he could tell her his hands were a little bit tied (she wasn’t medical staff, she was essentially a foreign dignitary and her safety took priority over her guilt), the doctor’s communicator chirped.

“McCoy.”

“Bones, send the princess up to the bridge. She’s going to want to see this,” Jim’s voice came through, and Addie and Leo shared an apprehensive glance.

“She’ll be right up,” The doctor replied, and Addie nodded and took a deep breath.

“Take care of them, Doctor,” She murmured softly, and he cocked an eyebrow.

“What the hell do you think I’ve been doin’?” Bones grumbled, and she let herself smile just a touch before she turned and left. Her father was already on the bridge, frowning at a screen with white lips and darkened eyes.

“What is it?” She asked as she was waved in, unnerved by the look on Llyr’s face.

“Well, Princess, to put it crudely, I think we found Eris’ balls,” Kirk replied quietly.

“Excuse me?”

“The bite behind her bark.”

“And a weapon of mass destruction wasn’t enough of a bite?”

“Apparently not. Have a look.”

Addie stepped closer and frowned, none of the readouts giving her anything familiar.

“Wait….” Addie looked back up at her father and then over at the captain in abject horror. “Are those _Klingons?”_

“That is correct, Addie,” Spock answered instead of the captain. “Six Klingon Birds of Prey.”

“What are they doing?”

“Sitting there, as far as we can tell.”

“You suspect they’re coordinating.”

“It would be the logical conclusion.”

Addie stepped back away from her father and the commander, who had showed them both the ships, clearly processing and postulating as quickly as she could.

“This isn’t Federation space,” The princess said. “Nor is it Klingon. If anyone in the vicinity did claim it, it would be ours.”

“What are you saying?” Llyr asked, frowning even more deeply. Addie looked around the room at the heads turned toward her and swallowed, hoping to silence the part of her that suddenly, irrationally wished the doctor was there beside her. He would be no help in this instance.

“Well...Captain Kirk cannot order the Klingons out of the system. In fact--with respect--I doubt you all have the firepower to _force_ them out. Not against six Birds of Prey and whatever Ashtad has up her sleeve.”

“Even if we wanted to try, it would give us away,” Jim added, and Addie nodded.

“Exactly. But if we just sit here...I’m afraid they’ll grow suspicious.”

“Because we’re out of orbit. You want us to keep going.”

“Pass them like you don’t see them. Pass them and--”

“Head for another of our planets,” Llyr finished for his daughter. “There are some still near your Earth. It would be conceivable for us to believe she might strike there next.”

“And it would place us closer to home,” Kirk agreed, nodding, his expression a distant frown. “Your Majesty, please provide the appropriate coordinates to our navigator. Take us down from Yellow Alert to normal functions and proceed to coordinates at warp six when ready.”

“Take us down from Yellow Alert,” Spock repeated, his disapproval clear in the furrowing of his brow and the tilt of his head. “Captain, I do not think it wise to lower our defenses when we will be passing in such close proximity to Ashtad and her Klingon conspirators.”

“I’m not risking them thinking we’re on to them, Spock,” Jim replied seriously, shifting tensely in his chair.

“After an attack such as the one on Aphelion, I do not believe anyone could consider it out of the ordinary for our ship to remain at a constant state of alert. Especially since we are not supposed to know if anyone does come for us, Captain.” This time Jim looked from Spock to Llyr.

“Your Majesty, you know her best. What do you think?”

“I think she intends to play with us for as long as possible. We should be safe from any attack for the time being, as long as she is able to control the Klingons. However...I’m certain she’d enjoy watching us pass by with shields up. As my daughter so eloquently phrased it, Ashtad wants to see us dance; give her a little satisfaction now, and perhaps she will remain at a distance until we’ve had time to formulate a plan.”

 _“Shit.”_ Addie swore quickly and then colored; she cleared her throat and then looked down as she clasped her hands behind her.

“Something wrong, Princess?”

“We...can discuss it later, Captain. One potentially lethal decision at a time.” Her desire to board Ashtad’s ship had been buried beneath the revelation of Klingon involvement, and she had only remembered once everyone had decided that putting more distance between them was the best course of action.

Typical.

Llyr moved back to stand beside the captain’s chair even as Addie straightened beside Spock, her back and shoulders taut as a bowstring. That same tension seemed to fill the air, thick enough for Addie to feel like she was suffocating, and she wasn’t the only one; forget cutting tension with a knife when it filled every fiber of the crew around her enough to nearly suspend them. Behind her back Addie’s fingers twisted around each other, and her mind wandered back--back to the cargo bay and their children; back to Leo, and the fact that he had no way of knowing just how close to danger they were passing.

For their sakes more than anyone else’s, Addie hoped that nothing would come of it.

The Enterprise pressed forward, then, carefully, watchfully, and everyone in that room--save perhaps Spock--found themselves just a little more religious than usual. The countdown did not help, every passing increment announced ratcheting the tension up higher, and Addie stopped breathing altogether as they passed as close to the collection of ships as they were going to be. The entire room seemed to begin breathing again once they were past, but they weren’t in the clear just yet, a fact the captain did not waste time pointing out.

“Keep a close eye on them, we’re still in range and maybe the Klingons have their honor but I don’t get the feeling Eris has anything like it. And make sure they don’t end up following us. The last thing we need is to lead them to her next target.” Blue eyes found Addie, then, and he waved her on into his ready room, expecting her father to come along behind. “Now what exactly did you mean by ‘one potentially lethal decision at a time’?”

“It means I want to board Eris’ ship,” Addie replied calmly, and frowned when the captain shared a surprisingly knowing look with Llyr.

“I can’t allow that.”

“Well of course you can’t, not right now, it would be suicide to turn back.”

“No, I mean not at all. It would be just as suicidal to get yourself on her ship, and I made a promise.”

“A promise? To whom?”

“To me,” Llyr cut in softly.

“To--but--you told me this was potentially the only way to get them back and to stop her,” Addie replied, confused hurt flickering in her eyes. Llyr sighed and nodded even as Jim frowned seriously: Llyr’s track record with the truth wasn’t exactly stellar, and he didn’t know the man well enough to believe he wouldn’t play them all against each other to get something he wanted.

“I did. I made him promise before we spoke, and I am not thrilled by the idea of having to nullify it.”

“What kind of plan are we talking about here? Because it sounds like something I would do, which tells me absolutely no one should do it.” Sometimes, Jim Kirk was self-aware.

“I want to take a small group over onto Ashtad’s ship and retrieve the boys along with Ingrid. If Ashtad wants to cut us this deeply, I think we should do the same.”

“And you think this’ll work? You think a homicidal madwoman will call it quits just because you have her adult daughter?”

“There is no age at which a child becomes less important to a parent,” Llyr replied before Addie could respond. “I don’t like this plan. In fact I hate it. But Addie’s insight is, I believe, correct. If there is anything left in this universe that my ex-wife still loves, it will be Ingrid.”

“Okay, I’ll humor you both for a second. How are we supposed to get you on board? When? How are we going to get you off? Have you actually thought this through?”

—— 

“The plans for the cloaking devices were reliable, we thank you.”

Even for Klingons this particular captain was exceedingly unpleasant. But Eris had a need, and these bastards could satisfy it better than anyone save the Romulans--and she didn’t much like _Romulans._

“Don’t thank me. It is a tool to be used in order to aid me and a reward for a job well done--and if the job is not well done--”

“We are Klingons!” He cut Eris off roughly. “We will not fail. Death, before failure!”

“You’d better hope so,” Eris drawled cooly. “Neither Starfleet nor the Federation as registered your presence around the planet? Truly? Not even as an anomaly?”

“They do not. The first Birds have been put into place around the planet and told to maintain their distance as you requested, and await further instruction.”

“Their _instruction_ is to not get caught before we can draw our prey into its net,” Eris snapped. “Destroying Earth would be a victory in and of itself, but it would be small, and akin to throwing yourself into the middle of a feeding frenzy without the backing of both your people and my own. Humans are substandard, but they are not without their attributes. Angry, resilient little things. But not as resilient as my people.”

“Humans are not worth the honor of praise,” Wulyew’ grumbled. “Even so small. They are weak, and they must be exterminated.”

“And that is what I intend to do. Now, come. If the Enterprise has not seen fit to make their move then I want to be gone by the time they do. I don’t wish to be followed.”

“The Enterprise passed us minutes ago,” One of Eris’ crew spoke up from the corner of the room, looking at a remote display of the readouts available on their ship’s bridge.

“Why was I not notified?”

“I’m sure they didn’t want to interrupt your meeting, Mother,” Ingrid soothed as she came into the room, fully aware of the effect her unsettlingly steady purple gaze had on the Klingons. She blinked just a _hair_ too little for anyone to be comfortable around her. “How long until the remaining ships are properly outfitted with the Hex and cloaking devices?”

“We...are working as quickly as possible, Princess,” Wulyew’ responded with a short glance at Eris, who lifted an eyebrow just as her daughter did, one expression dark and suspicious, the other detached and aloof.

“You _will_ be ready in time,” Eris drawled threateningly, and the captain puffed himself up with as much false bravado as it took to make himself feel—if not look—convincingly confident.

“We will be more than ready! Do you dare—”

“That’s enough,” Eris shut him down with a sigh. “Return to your ship. I’ll be requesting daily updates from here on in to ensure you are moving along as scheduled, and I will increase the frequency as I see fit.”

The Klingons nodded, silently seething though they may have been, and filed past the former queen and princess to the ship’s transporter room. As the captain passed Ingrid suddenly reached out and caught his arm, and when Wulyew’ glared down at her those purple eyes were no longer cool and distant. Something else was trying to come through, and she blinked several times, her grip nearly impossible even for him to break.

“Ingrid!” Eris barked, and Ingrid jumped and released the Klingon with a flinch. The old general gave Wulyew’ a forced smile. “Please, don’t be offended, Captain. My daughter was attacked some years ago, and sometimes it still affects her mind. Go in peace,” She smoothed it over easily, and held Ingrid still with her own rigid grip, ignoring the way her daughter winced. They remained that way until the Klingons had left the ship completely, and then Eris steered her to the ship’s small med bay.

“Come now, darling, I have something that will make it all better,” Eris said, hanging on to Ingrid as she dug around for the hypo she wanted.

“I don’t want it,” Ingrid refused, even more of that something else—even more of _herself_ —coming through in her eyes and voice.

“Hush now. We both know you do. Ah! Here it is.”

Eris ignored the tears that welled up desperately in Ingrid’s eyes as she touched the hypo to her daughter’s neck and heard the sound of the chemicals flooding her system. In under a minute Ingrid’s body went loose again, her expression aloof, her demeanor cool and haughty and somewhat dreamy.

“There, now. All better. Now repeat after me: you never want to leave my side.”

“I never want to leave your side.”

“I alone have the power to save our people.”

“You alone have the power to save our people.”

“Your brain is lying to you, my sweet girl, do you understand? You should be nowhere else but here. You should be doing nothing else, save this. We will conquer this galaxy and establish an Emerald Empire beneath our own rule, do you hear me?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Very, very good,” Eris praised softly. “Now, come. It’s time for your brothers to have their own medicine.”

Practically docile, now, Ingrid followed her mother down to the holding cells her half-brothers were being kept in, one on each side, separated. The younger, weaker twin was propped up weakly against the wall of his cell, away from the clear forcefield that separated them--and true to his nickname, he was wheezing softly with each labored breath.

“Dear goodness, all this dry space air really doesn’t agree with you, does it,” Eris commented as she came closer, selecting another cartridge for the hypo from a tray that sat just outside Vali’s cell. “Maybe this will help.”

“Fuck you,” Vali panted, sickly pale and covered with a faint sheen of sweat. Eris tutted quietly and then nodded to Ingrid, who opened a door-shaped hole in the forcefield to allow Eris to pass through.

“Is that the only thing your father taught you to say? You don’t seem to be particularly varied in your lexicon.”

Vali lifted his chin as Eris knelt down beside him and she leaned down to hear better, lifting an eyebrow at the sheer hatred that glittered in his eyes.

 _“Fuck. You,”_ He repeated roughly, and Eris growled softly, digging the tip of the hypo far harder than necessary into his skinny neck. She didn’t respond to the venom, instead waiting for the sound of his wheezing to ease before she changed the cartridge again. This time, from across the room, his brother spoke up.

“What do you have? What are you doing?” Even demanded, pushing himself off the floor to come and stand as close to the forcefield as he could manage. Eris ignored him and sent yet another substance flowing through Vali’s system, and then waited as Even shouted behind her for the telltale signs that the chemicals had taken hold. “Hey! I’m talking to you, you psychotic bitch!” Even shouted hoarsely, trying to get her away from Vali. It didn’t work, and everything in him went ice cold as he heard her chuckle softly to herself.

“There. Perfect,” She murmured, standing up to pass the hypo and empty cartridges out to Ingrid. “Now, Vali. Repeat after me: I am no longer a prince of the House of the Emerald Sea.”

Silence followed Eris’ order for several seconds, and then--loose and detached--Vali looked back up at her, blue eyes almost glazed.

“I am no longer a prince of the House of the Emerald Sea.”

“Vali, no!”

“You serve a new master now.”

“I serve a new master now.”

_“Vali!”_

“You are loyal to me, Eris, and will gladly go to all lengths to see our people ascend.”

“Oh, come on—Vali—”

“I am loyal to you, Eris, and I will gladly go to all lengths to see our people ascend.”

“Very good. Your duty now is to remain here, in silence. You will respond to no one save myself and Ingrid. You will do as you are told, eat when instructed to eat, go where you are told to go. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

Eris nodded and then stood. Once again Ingrid keyed an opening into the forcefield, and when Eris left the cell she made her way across to stare Even in the eye.

“I hope you understand that you’re next,” She said calmly. “One way or another. So will it be the easy way,” Eris lifted the hypo into view, “Or will you make me work for it?”

“If you come near me with that thing I will cut your throat and tear your tongue out through the hole,” Even snarled. Eris lifted an eyebrow and allowed herself a small smirk.

“Very well. Gas him.”

“Gas—” Even looked around him, spotting vents he’d not given much of a thought to before, and then out at Ingrid, who had reached for a touch pad to trigger to emission. “Ingrid, don’t. Whatever you’re doing don’t,” He pled, his voice low and serious. There was no reason for him to expect her to listen to him—their short time on that ship had given them enough fodder to believe that she was almost as terrible as her mother—but he found he couldn’t _not_ try _._ Ingrid continued to tap through the authorization codes without looking at him, and a memory pricked in the back of his mind: something their father had shared about his first, _lost_ daughter, sweet stories and a precious little nickname.

“Iggy, please. Please, you’re my sister, please.”

Long, pale fingers froze on the pad and Even’s eyebrows rose with a tiny shred of hope.

“Ingrid,” Eris warned softly. Still Ingrid didn’t move, her purple eyes lifting to meet Even’s gaze with something almost like confusion flickering behind the distance, and once more Even murmured ‘please’. She began to lift her fingers away from the pad, but then Eris whirled on her, quick and harsh, and she flinched and hit the last key before Eris could come any closer. Even met Ingrid’s oddly haunted gaze as some unknown substance hissed slowly into his cell with ice cold realization hitting him _hard:_

Ingrid was no more a willing player in this than he and Wheezy were.

He fought as hard as he could to retain control of himself as the gas filled the room, staring at Ingrid without blinking, trying to read her expression to see if there was anything else behind that flickering purple; but try as he might, even he too eventually succumbed to the cold aloofness of Eris’ control.

“Repeat after me: you are no longer a prince of the House of the Emerald Sea.”

“I am no longer a prince of the House of the Emerald Sea.”

Eris smiled to herself and repeated the process she’d followed with Even’s younger brother, heedless of the pain flickering in Ingrid’s eyes where the real woman was fighting to come through. Only when she stood did Eris look her daughter over and sigh heavily.

“I should have realized letting you see your father would create such instability. I’ve grown careless in the last millenia,” She murmured, ignoring the way Ingrid blinked and clearly wanted to pull away as Eris trailed a finger through her thick, black hair. “Ah, well. You struggled in the beginning, too, and the gods know we overcame that fairly quickly.” Quick enough for Ingrid to shoot her father without Eris’ presence to pressure her, but then again everything had been much more fresh and the girl’s pain had been easier to tap into. The woman would have to change her approach some, but she was certain she could pull a repeat performance out of her child even a thousand years later if necessary.

And Eris intended to make it necessary.

 


	11. Parallax on the Silver Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the captain's mermaid-related questions are answered--and he's not around to hear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I'll have answered some questions in this chapter for you all, and if I haven't hit on it, I might just be saving it for later--but ask anyway!

The next couple of weeks aboard the Enterprise were terrifyingly uneventful. Llyr communicated with his husbands and brother often, the weird mixes of whistles and signs losing their newness with at least some of the bridge crew: Nyota spent as much of her free time as she was allowed with the merpeople, whether it be in public spaces or down in the bays with the children where the princess always was, learning about their language and the differentiations between even the subtlest of lifts and shifts in notes and tone. The bay in which most of the children were kept changed steadily to meet their shifting needs, the smaller tanks repurposed into larger ones that would hold two or three at a time and allow the healthiest ones, at least, to have that ever-desired contact and closeness with the others.

The changes gave them room to move, and a far shallower pool was set up so that approved crew members (Addie was particular about what had become her very large school of children and babies, whether she would admit to going full mom or not) could sit with the little ones as well. In that nerve-wracking lull where they all waited for news of either another attack or an update on Eris’ position, the crew finally had time to ask their questions--and Addie was finally comfortable enough with them to respond fully.

“Princess,” Spock began, sitting in the pool in his wetsuit being climbed by little ones, “Your father mentioned one day that he is actually your mother.”

Addie tried and failed to hide her amused smile.

“Yes, Mr. Spock, technically he is. He carried all of us.”

“Are the reproductive roles of your species then reversed? Or does the concept of male and female not strictly apply?”

“More of the latter. My species can change their sex at will. I know of several aquatic species on Earth that have the same capabilities, but unfortunately….”

“Unfortunately, we do not have an overabundance of fish on my planet,” Spock finished for her, his eyes warming with humor. “And you have nothing against which to compare yourself.”

“Exactly.”

“If this is true, then what accounts for the physical development of your species? Are you still born into a single sex?”

“Yes, to a point, and that does drive some development, but even then our DNA can vary greatly. We have all adapted and evolved differences between communities on different planets, almost...races, if you will. You may have noticed how brightly colored we all are down here, despite the fact that we live in darkness. We lived among rich colors, once upon a time--and some of us still do. Some of us have even evolved to be freshwater creatures. I’d say if enough of us spent a good deal of time at greater depths and pressures we’d all end up looking like those horrible creatures that already live there.”

“Fascinating,” Spock responded as a small, purple arm used his head as a gripping point to keep the little girl attached up out of the water. She was clearly on her way to hauling herself up to perch on his shoulder and Spock automatically maneuvered her into the position she needed to drape her tail around his shoulders. She trilled happily and Spock lifted his eyebrows, lips curling at one corner.

“Well that’s damn precious,” Bones spoke up from behind Addie’s chair--she obediently sat _beside_ the pool--with heavy amusement. Addie tilted her head back to smile up at him and his green eyes warmed when the doctor met her gaze, even if he (mostly) held onto his usual disgruntled expression. “So how does that whole change work, then? Hell, how does switching between this form and the other work?”

“My favorite answer is magic,” Addie replied, both eyebrows lifting matter-of-factly, and Bones snorted.

“All right, what kind of magic, then?”

“If I knew all of that I wouldn’t be saying magic, now, would I?”

“So you don’t know.”

“I know that when we shift into our aquatic form, the concept of male and female become largely useless. The reproductive systems in our bodies go into a...sort of stasis. And when we’re ready to shift into a new sex, we have a choice of what we have when we present as human again.”

“So you have both.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not male or female at all, are you?”

“The closest english equivalent is intersex.”

“Not to take the commander’s catch phrase, but that’s...actually pretty damn fascinating. So if you wanted…?”

“I could show you, Doctor,” Addie offered calmly, and was not surprised when he found himself too shocked to form an answer.

She _had_ just offered to show him her penis.  

“Would you look very different?” Spock rescued him, and Addie shook her head.

“Not at all. With the exception of genitalia, of course.”

“I would--”

“Mr. Spock, I think perhaps a demonstration can wait for a later date,” Leo cut him off uncomfortably. Sometime when they weren’t surrounded by children. Even if nudity wasn’t anything to bat an eyelash at for their species, he...didn’t particularly like the idea of the other crew leering at the princess--and said switch was going to take some serious getting used to. Addie picked up on that easily and raised an eyebrow, but she didn’t argue: she smirked. Spock, however, seemed entirely oblivious to the silent conversation happening between princess and doctor and nodded as best he could in easy agreement with the little girl still curled around his head.

“So you are not familiar with the processes that take you from aquatic to mammal and vice-versa?”

“Biology was about a decade ago, Mr. Spock,” Addie replied with a grin. “And while the tutor may have been thorough, my attention to detail was not. I know that there are chemical releases that trigger the transformation; I know that it is a function of the brain as natural as moving the body, but it takes practice. Not so much learning to walk as learning to dance. I know that the skin is transformed into the scales that you have seen through the reactions, I know that bones soften or harden beneath the cascade. For a moment, the body is...putty. Elastic. And then it remembers its shape. Now, coming from the aquatic to the human form is similar, but the body hardens. Cartilage becomes bone, the protective layer of scales is shed, everything shrinks into itself.”

“Is it painful?” Leonard asked, remembering the way she had nearly shaken apart that first day.

“Yes,” The princess answered honestly, quietly. “But only becoming humanoid. Going back to the water is...an unbelievable release. It’s...fizzy, like champagne, but hot like sun-warmed waters. Everything feels much more fluid, and we move so much faster down there.” Addie’s voice took on a hushed quality, almost breathless, and it was clear from her face that she wasn’t there in that room, anymore. In fact she sat for a moment in silence, letting her brain wander back to the joy that was bursting back into her favorite form, darting through the water, playing in the currents--

“Oh!” Addie stopped as that same hot buzz rolled through her with a visible shiver, and she looked down at herself in astonishment.

“Is something the matter, Princess?” Spock asked, even as Leo’s face pulled into a deep frown.

“No, no--the opposite actually. I think I just had an accidental breakthrough.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Leo asked, walking around Addie’s chair to get a better look at her.

“Relax, Doctor, this is a good thing,” Addie responded with a smile packed with breathless excitement. “I believe I mentioned not all of us need water or land to shift in and out of each form; I have been wanting to learn how to do it for years now, but it is typically a skill reserved for the oldest of us. It would seem the trick is to just...wish really hard,” She replied, coloring even as she laughed.

“‘Wish really hard’?” Bones repeated skeptically.

“All right, to put it in a less fun way: I got caught up in the memories, and it was almost enough to bring it out of me. Like I said, it’s as natural to us as walking, even if it takes more intention, and when we’re younger that intention must be aided by physically being in the presence of the water. I think, perhaps, once you’ve done it enough, you can begin to simply remember the water, immerse yourself mentally, rather than wait to actively be swimming.”

“Uh huh.” Bones was still looking at her like he wasn’t sure she was all there. “That makes...some kind of sense.”

Addie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“You mentioned it is easiest for the eldest of your species,” Spock cut in, still deadpan as the little mermaid managed to grip him with her tail and slide down the front of his wetsuit to splash in the water. “And I know you have mentioned that some of you live at least a thousand years. What is your normal lifespan?”

“Barring accidental death or an illness we can’t cure, as long as we want,” Addie replied, reaching in to lift a young, silvery child out of the water to hold in her lap as they reached up for her. Their orange stripes and hair were a stark contrast to the metallic tone of the rest of them. Spock seemed to understand from that answer alone, even if he tilted his head to the side with further interest. The doctor....clearly needed some convincing.

 _“Pardon?”_ Leo replied.

“You remember me telling you about how our cells regenerate? And when we shift into this form, given enough time it can heal whatever ails the other?”

“...Yeah.” Leonard’s eyes narrowed further.

“We don’t age, Doctor, until we choose to. Not beyond our body’s natural maturing. The regenerative process sees to that.”

“You don’t--?”

“Age, no, we don’t. I’ll likely look this age for a very long time, as long as I spend enough time in this form to complete the process every few years.”

“...Well I’ll be damned,” Leo muttered, looking at her with new eyes. Spock...seemed no more curious than he had been before.

“What a unique opportunity, to be able to choose the ending of your life--or choose not to end it at all,” He said, shifting the child in his arms so that she could wrap her arms around his neck and turn her face into the darkened space it created sweetly.

“Yes, Commander, I agree.”

“Do many people choose to live so long?”

“That depends on what you consider ‘so long’, I think,” Addie responded with a smile. “A few centuries is most common. Enough time for people to feel like they’ve lived their lives and are ready to move on to the next.”

“Yes, I have heard you reference gods on more than one occasion,” Spock jumped on that instantly. “How does one from such a seemingly advanced society reconcile religion with fact?”

“You’re assuming the two are mutually exclusive,” Addie said evenly. “I know there are religions whose followers wholeheartedly reject the idea that science could be applied to their understanding of the universe without contradicting what they’ve been taught, but that is not true of them all. I would think that a study of science and of the universe at large would bring one closer to your gods, rather than farther away: few things inspire or deserve as much awe as life itself and the universe that houses it.”

Spock blinked and canted his head to one side: that hadn’t been the answer he was anticipating.

“But you cannot prove the existence of such supernatural beings,” He countered.

“And you can’t wholly disprove it, either,” Addie said with a smile. “I feel as if it would have been done already. But with everything we have yet to understand as beings who inhabit this plane together, I would not think it out of the question to discover some kind of divine creature.”

“And if divinity is a quality you find amongst yourselves? Or within other mortal beings?”

“Then we will have learned something. But we would also have to reexamine our standards of divinity.”

Spock opened his mouth to speak, but Leo cleared his throat.

“Let’s debate theology later,” He cut in. He could just see them both revving up into something not heated, but intent and energetic enough to make everyone else uncomfortable even if Addie was fairly even-keeled when her planet wasn’t being destroyed. Addie blinked and sat back, puzzled, but Spock sighed.

“Humans have retained whatever quality it is that keeps them from discussing religion in public. Mainly because most of them lack the ability to speak on such matters without defaulting to reason rather than passion.”

“It sounds as if they are insecure,” Addie replied, and Bones rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. If there was one friendship he would not have predicted, it was _that_ one, and yet somehow, once Addie had gotten over her general wariness of him, she and Spock had found themselves to be a lot more alike than the doctor ever wanted to know.

“I’m right here, Darlin’,” Leo replied dryly, and Addie lifted an eyebrow.

“And are you religious, my darling?” She asked sweetly, thoroughly enjoying the way the disgruntlement on his face flickered and melted into something just a little bit softer.

It was the first time she’d turned what she was fairly certain had become a pet name back on him (she was right), and he liked it a hell of a lot more than he was ready to admit. That was the danger with spending so much time together, especially working through something so intense: that fondness had been allowed to flourish into something easy, something familiar, a routine developing between the two: she would come and listen to the updates on the children every morning, and she stayed with them with a few nurses during the day unless she was called away by her father--and the good doctor came down to ‘check in’ far more often than necessary, knowing where the princess would almost always be.

“Not as much as I used to be, Princess,” He replied honestly, ruefulness just barely coming through in his voice. Addie nodded and her own expression softened; she hadn’t really expected a different answer, not after the first night she’d spent in his room.

That was the _other_ thing that had become routine for them: under the very thin excuses of ‘friendship’ and ‘culture’, Addie had been spending most nights in Leonard’s room. She even had her own pajamas, now: small cotton shorts and a tank top, both loose, both just enough to keep them at least a little bit in control of themselves. There was an unspoken agreement between the two after that first night that they probably ought not cross those lines again, which resulted in a tension that was impossible to miss and which pulled the deepest of sighs out of both the captain and the king.

Their small moment was interrupted first by a loud splash as one of the children beat their tail against the top of the water for just that purpose, and then by the chirp of Leonard’s communicator.

“This is McCoy.”

“Hey, Bones, is Spock still down there with you?”

“I am here, Captain.”

“Good. Grab the princess and the two of you come on up here. I want you to see this.”

Spock and Bones shared a look, one puzzled, the other concerned. Addie, however, perked up.

“We’ll be right there, Captain,” She responded for them both, the sudden lightness in her still fairly concerning for the doctor.

“Any idea what’s going on?”

“Of course I do,” Addie replied brightly. “We’re here.”

That got Spock’s attention instantly and he stood, peeling the children away from him. Addie too set down the napping kid she had been holding with a gentle touch of their foreheads and looked at both men with real excitement in her eyes.

“Shall we?”

They didn’t even wait for Spock to change: he was far too intrigued by the idea of a planet where the mermaids did not need to remain so hidden, what with the agreement they had come to with the other, land-dwelling inhabitants centuries before. Llyr was already on the Bridge when they arrived, stood up beside Kirk’s chair with his hands folded behind his back. The planet was on the view screen--and Scotty was doing everything shy of swearing up a blue streak as he tried to convince the captain not to take the ship beneath the waves again.

“All right, all _right_ , but Scotty we have to be hidden _somehow!”_

“I realize that you remain staunchly opposed to using cloaking devices while in potential battle situations, Captain, but might there be an exception made for safety’s sake while the ship is immobile?” Llyr asked. “It would simply be camouflage.”

Kirk stopped and eyeballed Llyr for several seconds, clearly thinking it over.

“Is it possible to do this without installing it on the Enterprise?” Jim was remembering a certain ingenious black and white alien who employed similar technology.

“It is less foolproof, but it is possible, yes.”

“All right. We’ll land the ship and then see about setting up the cloaking devices to keep her safe.” Jim’s gaze lifted back up to Spock and Bones. “You two are coming with me down to the city.”

“What city?” Bones asked, lifting an eyebrow suspiciously.

“Parallax,” Addie answered for the captain, still smiling like excitedly. “It’s older than Aphelion, and bigger. They haven’t any reason to hide.” Which also meant the other people who inhabited the planet had been advanced enough in their science that Addie’s people had no qualms about drawing lines and backing it up with proper force. Leonard did not share Addie’s enthusiasm.

“And this is the one Ashtad might Hex, right?” He asked. Addie’s smile shrank down to nothing so quickly that he went a little cold, guiltier than he cared to show.

“Yes. It’s a potential target, yes,” The princess affirmed quietly. Leonard swallowed and sighed silently: even _Jim_ was giving him a pretty hard look _._

“We won’t have to wear those wetsuits again, will we?” He tried again, hoping to pull some of that light back out of her. It wasn’t like she’d had all that much reason to smile, lately. It worked to an extent: Addie’s lips twitched with a rueful and yet somehow wicked little smile and her green eyes glittered just a touch.

“Just you, Doctor. Everyone else is free to wear whatever regulation dictates as Parallax has open-air entryways as well as underwater.”

Jim started laughing, dark and throughly pleased with Addie’s troublemaker side, and Bones glared at him with his arms folded over his chest.

“Don’t you dare, Jim.”

“Don’t look at me, you heard the Princess. Suit up, we should be leaving in the next couple of hours. Your Majesty, if you will come with me?” With that Jim walked away, slapping Bones on the shoulder as he walked by to go see to the details of cloaking the Enterprise while they were beneath the waves—or possibly not, apparently. That was an exciting thought all on its own.

Once they had gone Addie started to leave too, and Bones followed her with as little awkwardness as he could manage and a whole lot of concern.

“You’re not really gonna make me wear one of those, are ya, Darlin’?”

“I don’t know, Doctor. Do you think you should?”

“If I say yes, do I get to wear my uniform?”

Addie sighed heavily and then pulled Leonard off to the side of the corridor, waiting until the only person walking by had moved out of earshot to speak again.

“I want to be excited about this,” She murmured earnestly, fixing him with an unwavering stare. “I _need_ to be able to be excited about this.”

“I know—”

“No! You don’t know!” Addie denied fervently, even if she kept her voice low, her eyes going wide. “You might know in theory, but Leonard, you don’t know. You can’t know. Not this one.”

The doctor cleared his throat and pursed his lips, dropping her gaze uncomfortably.

“I want to show you my people,” Ádís continued softly. “I want to show you what we’re meant to be. What we could be. What—what she took from us. I want you to see us thriving.” Addie swallowed and her expression wavered in a way he knew meant she was trying very hard not to tear up, a fact he noted when he looked up again (and regretted it). _“I_ need to see it. I need to remember.”

“All right,” He accepted just as softly, his face pulling into a gentle apology now that they were alone. “I’ll try to, uh...curb the pessimism.”

“Thank you, Leo.”

“You got it. ...Does—”

“No, Leo, you don’t have to wear the suit. But only because my father doesn’t need to be stuck with me ogling you any more than I already do.” Leo’s eyebrow shot up, pleased, and Addie smirked playfully. “Maybe one of these days, Doctor, I’ll get to see what’s underneath.”

Leo groaned quietly and shook his head, eyes closed against the images that wanted to conjure up.

“Devil woman. Mean, mean devil woman.”

“Do you want me to stop?”

“Don’t you dare,” Leo growled. He leaned in and for a moment she thought he might give in and kiss her, but instead he bumped his nose against her own.

It still made her shiver.

Addie pulled back with a far more coy smile and blew him a little kiss as she backed away.

“I’ll see you in a little while, Doctor.”

“Not if I see you first.”

Addie disappeared around the bend and Leo jumped as Scotty’s voice interrupted his moment.

“No’ if I see you firs’? That’s _bad,_ Bones.”

“Shut it, you insufferable Scottish bastard.”

“Is tha’ what does it fer ya? The cheese? Is _tha’_ how ya snag ‘em?”

“Watch it, Scott, or your next physical will be unnecessarily invasive.”

“Oh, dear,” Scotty said softly, shaking his head. “We cannae even joke about it now? Doc, you’re fucked.” With that he walked away, and Leo was left standing in the hallway--thinking about how uncomfortably true Scotty’s words were.

By the time they had landed the ship in a clear enough space, cloaked it, and deployed a shuttle with the away team happily on board--captain and commander and doctor alongside king and princess--Addie’s excitement had returned, and even Llyr, as worn as he had looked lately, wore a bright smile.

The shuttle skimmed low over the ocean, shoreline giving way to open seas and rolling silvery waves; and finally, after about an hour, shapes began to appear along the horizon.

“Parallax,” Llyr announced quietly as the shapes began to grow larger and more defined as they drew nearer: round, bubble-like spheres of varying levels of enormity, capped in shining copper, some buildings netted with that same coppery wire that they had seen in ruined masses in Aphelion. Some spheres were ringed with what the crew realized was decking, wide walkways encircling the buildings and closed off with intricate rails of beautifully stained and sealed wood and more of that gleaming metal. Bridges spanned the spaces between the buildings, native birds circled lazily overheard in the sunlight, and everywhere people were seen walking and basking in what had happened to be the mid-morning ocean breeze. In the very center of the city was a globe that dwarfed the rest, devoid of that coppery wiring to offer uninterrupted views of the waterscape outside; that was where they would be heading, eventually, but Addie intended to walk them to it rather than take them the quick way.

“It’s beautiful,” Spock commented, head tilted to one side. The compliment made the princess grin and swell with pride, and it warmed Leo’s heart as surely as it ached to see it--to have a better grasp not just of what she’d lost in Aphelion, but the freedom so many of her people had lost in the face of being hunted down like animals.

“This is only the surface. There are several levels beneath, all the way to the ocean floor, and we have everything--theaters and playhouses, restaurants and cafeterias, libraries, hospitals--”

“Hospitals?” Leo interrupted. Addie’s smile only widened.

“Yes, Doctor, hospitals.”

“Why do you need hospitals if your bodies literally regenerate themselves?”

“Because we are impatient, and a certain level of immediate care will speed up the process, just as you have done with me. Not to mention those of us who have to remain in our humanoid form: if we are injured like this, there is no regeneration. We must wait to be healed, or not, just like you.”

“Why would you have to stay in your human forms?” Jim asked this time, puzzled. “What good does that do you? And what do you mean your bodies regenerate themselves--Spock, have you been holding out on me?”

It was then that they all remembered the captain had not been present for their conversations over exactly that, and not even Spock had been around for that testy conversation with their Chief Engineer.

“Most of this has only come entirely to light today, Captain,” Spock replied easily, and Jim’s face flattened out, unamused, as humor made those brown eyes shine. “Although I believe that I missing some information myself. You never touched on actual reproduction, Princess.”

“I actually know this one,” Bones said--and then froze as everyone else’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, for god’s sake, she told Scotty and I was right there, you morons,” He groused as Jim began to grin and Llyr lifted an eyebrow at his daughter. “It was during that nightmare grilling he gave her. They carry their young in human form.”

Llyr’s eyebrow dropped into something dark and dangerous, gaze still on his daughter, and she shook her head with a soft, reassuring smile.

“I was shaken and he didn’t know how to shut up,” She signed, and Llyr snorted and shook his head. They reached a pad propped above the ocean’s surface that was very clearly built for that purpose, and set the shuttle down with ease.

“Welcome to Parallax,” Addie murmured just loud enough for everyone to hear as the shuttle door opened and sunlight poured in. The sea air was hot and salty just as it should be, but the scent also came with a faint metallic hint that made them all pause and remember the silvery, almost mercurial quality of the water.

“Parallax on the Silver Sea.”

 


	12. Brooklyn, Doc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Safely on Parallax, the royals and the Enterprise's crew begin to coalesce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been two months, but thanks and love to any of you who are still holding on to see how this all turns out!

Everything in Parallax looked much more foreign and fantastical up close--and the inhabitants looked a whole lot less clothed, a fact they barely batted an eyelash at after having spent enough time with Addie (okay, maybe there was a brief moment where Jim had to blink once at a topless woman with knee-length royal blue hair, but he would chalk it up to the hair until his dying day).

“It was my understanding that the hair of your species turned what we would consider natural tones when you shifted into humanoid form,” Spock said as a man walked by with lilac dreadlocks, the color lovely against his dark skin.

“They do. But that doesn’t mean we forego the art of individual expression.”

“It is extremely common here,” Llyr built upon what his daughter had said. “Less so in the areas where standing out is a death sentence.”

“Mine used to be hot pink,” Addie added, smiling to herself at Leo’s arching eyebrow.

The walkways grew more crowded as they moved toward the center of the city’s surface, and more people stared in shock as their king and princess strolled casually by with Starfleet officers in their wake; and once they were within the city’s bounds, the marriage of aquatic and open-air life became increasingly clearer and, in fact, more impressive. Long, slim creatures swam just beneath the surface, under bridges, around the sides of globes that did not have decking around them, signing with the creatures within; colorful dorsal fins and spines fanned out on full display broke the surface as as they dipped and plunged and played in the waves. The same decking formed gleaming circles in otherwise open stretches of water, reached only by a bridge, and as they passed near enough they realized the fixtures were access points that ringed large tubes leading down to the water-filled sections beneath. They were graced with the chance to see a man dive headfirst into one such opening, and his body seemingly exploded into turquoise and green scales before his head had even finished breaking the surface; but despite their original intent, the ever-social creatures used the decking and the steps down into the water as places to bask, long tails swishing lazily in the water like cats’ tails, bodies curled together in unabashed closeness and affection.

And everywhere they went the air was filled with whistles, every song completely different from the next, the people signing faster than the crew could even hope to read them (Uhura might have been able by that point, but Jim had elected to leave her behind on this run at least and was now wondering if perhaps that was a mistake).

What none of them had been ready for was what the people sounded like when they actually _spoke_ . They had all been under the subconscious belief that the other members of their species would speak like the king and princess, and in fact sound something like Addie and her father and the other speakers they had heard, but such was nowhere _near_ the case: the water-dwellers’ voices were strangely resonant, almost hooting--far more like they were singing than speaking, and the doctor was forcibly reminded of all the times in the last three weeks he’d heard the princess singing to their little ones. It was the same smooth, connected tone as her songs, every word intoned rather than what the crew would have considered normal speech.

“Why do they sound like that?” Bones asked quietly, and Addie smiled gently.

“We have worked very hard to perfect accents the likes of which humans and their counterparts would readily accept. Especially as leaders. My whole family has been coached, has spent time among humans, and many of our governors have elected to participate in the same programs; but they have no need, here. They produce sound in the same manner as they do beneath the water: forward and tall and resonant.”

“They sound like they’re about to sing an opera,” Kirk replied, and both Addie and her father grinned.

“You are not as far off as you might think,” Llyr replied. “The same principles apply. Now, if you will wait just a moment….” The king trailed off and slipped to the side, toward a sphere that actually had cafe tables set up on a much larger section of attached decking, and Addie rolled her eyes. When Llyr returned he was holding what they suspected was a blown-glass cup in the exact same shade as the earlier woman’s hair, with what looked suspiciously like a cocktail garnish poking out the top.

 _“Pabbi,”_ Addie admonished, but she couldn’t keep the smile from dancing over her lips for long.

“Oh, come along, sweetheart, you know it’s not the same in a bottle.”

“Knew I’d find you here,” Another voice called from the direction in which they had been going, and Addie perked up like none of them had seen from her since she saw her father on the Bridge a few weeks before.

“Elric!” She called excitedly, and practically bounced her way over to greet the man in question. He was only a couple of inches taller than she was, with dark brown hair and a fairly impressive sunkissed tan, and his white clothing brought out the icy, almost colorless blue shade of his eyes.

“That is my son, Elric,” Llyr introduced him as Addie squeezed her brother half to death. “He’s my eldest, after Ingrid.”

“That would make him the Heir Apparent,” Jim replied, and Llyr nodded.

“He is the Crown Prince, yes,” He acknowledged as Addie released her brother and then pressed her forehead to his. The fact that she had stopped smiling and swallowed hard the moment their heads touched reminded the crew that by their count, those two were the only two left whom Eris had not yet sunk her claws into, and made it all the more agonizing for a father who was already aching over those he had lost.

“Aside from these two and the others aboard Ashtad’s ship, have you any other children, Your Majesty?” Spock asked, and even his voice was gentle as he spoke. Llyr blinked and looked away from the pair, both of them far more serious, now, and gave his head a small shake.

“Not at the moment, no,” He told them honestly.

“At the moment?” Leo pressed, and Llyr looked at him sideways.

“I love children. I love having them, I love raising them, I love the adults they’ve become. But I am aware of my position and how complicated that could make matters for my son and for my niece, his counterpart, should they have their own families. So for now, we wait.” And they would wait even longer still if for some reason they never got their boys back. He knew from experience that there was not some magic number of children that could ever fill the void the loss of another left.

Elric and Addie finally detached themselves and came back to join the group, Addie looking far lighter than she had in their presence _ever_ , Elric smiling open and friendly and welcoming.

“I wish we could be greeting you under happier circumstances,” The prince said as he stopped before them. “But I suppose a little space to breathe isn’t too bad an introduction. My name’s Elric, as I’m sure my father has already told you, but please, don’t bother with it, and definitely don’t bother with all that ‘Your Highness’ shit unless you really feel like you have to. El works just fine. But under no circumstances do I ever want to be called _Ricky.”_ There was clearly a good story that came with that rule, but while Llyr rolled his eyes and Addie snorted, the captain moved on ahead.

(They had time later.)

“Captain James Tiberius Kirk, Your Highness,” Jim introduced himself. “But Captain or Jim work just as well.” He had to be a little shit. “This here is my First Officer, Commander Spock, and this is our Chief Medical Officer, Lt. Commander Leonard McCoy.” It wasn’t often that they actually introduced Bones by his rank as well as his title, and as that nefarious eyebrow popped right up where it liked to live, the doctor caught a small twitch at the corner of Addie’s mouth and spotted the telltale signs of her trying not to fidget like she normally did when something struck her _just_ right.

He’d have to thank Jim for that one later.

“Well I’m glad to meet all of you. I understand I have a lot to thank you for--especially you, Doctor.” Elric nodded at Leonard and was merciful enough not to throw a related glance at Ádís. For once. “Shall we?” Elric nodded off behind him and then led the group on to the very center of the city, on into that massive dome that towered above the rest. The floor was an equally enormous mosaic, planets lining the outside with a scene of what looked to be other royalty—and by the time they drew closer, it became clear that the royalty in the center were the reigning Kings and the Queen Mother.

“I founded Parallax several thousand years ago,” Llyr explained easily when all eyes shifted in his direction, and Addie’s lips twitched again: she knew her father loved that mosaic almost as much as dropping that little factoid on unsuspecting visitors.

“But we can talk about that later,” Elric cut in, flopping back onto a couch that formed a third of a circle of curved couches set right in the center. “My scouts have reported that Ashtad is within the quadrant, but she seems to be hovering closer to the Earth’s side than to ours. It could be a ploy, but it seems like you were right on the money, Adds. She’s probably moving for humans next.”

“And your brothers?” Spock inquired. Elric’s face fell.

“Yeah, about that,” He murmured, and both of the other water-dwellers went eerily still. “We received a transmission from who I’m assuming was Ashtad.” The prince let out a heavy sigh as his father and sister went colder. “I don’t know what she did to them, Pabbi, but they’re not right. They’re robots. She didn’t even have them chained, it was just the twins and Ingrid rattling off some script about the end of persecution and the rise of true power. Fucking disgusting.”

“Robotic,” Llyr repeated suspiciously.

“Yeah. All three of them were. Just...all cold and detached and lifeless.”

The king’s green eyes worked back and forth as he took that in. “Could she... _possibly_ be manipulating them chemically?”

“You mean brainwashing,” Jim said, and Llyr shook his head with a shrug.

“I suppose so. I just know Sunshine and Wheezy would never be propaganda machines without being forced in one way or another.”

“And your daughter?” Leo asked. Elric had mentioned all three of them as having those traits, after all. Llyr sighed this time, and passed a hand over his face.

“I don’t think so. I think...she was too vulnerable when Ashtad turned her on me. She wouldn’t have needed the help.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Leo went on, unconvinced. Llyr swallowed and met the doctor’s gaze with an ancient kind of haunted light darkening his own green.

“Then I have a thousand years’ worth of apologies to make, and a thousand years’ worth of regrets to swallow.”

A somber silence fell, broken only when Addie refused to sit in it any longer.

“Captain, you’re certain the Federation hasn’t noticed anything unusual in orbit around your planet?”

“Not yet, but it’s taking some time to get the technology Your Majesty--” He nodded to Llyr-- “Sent implemented effectively. It’s a big planet and a bigger organization. Nothing happens quickly enough.”

“And you sent them reports of the damage from Aphelion? Of the Hex’s effects?” Elric inquired seriously. Jim nodded.

“We sent them everything we have. It’s not that they aren’t taking this seriously, it’s just...hard to pin down a focus when you don’t know if, when, or how it’s coming. From what I can tell they’ve been trying to determine the most likely targets so those places can get the tech first.”

“The whole damn planet’s mostly water,” Leo grumbled. “I’d be surprised if she didn’t try to crush the whole thing.”

Beside him Addie gave a tiny shiver and he sighed a little, but he didn’t retract his words. Eris was just psychotic enough to try a stunt like that, but the fleet of ships that would require would make it next to impossible. There was no way Eris and the Klingons could keep that many ships undetected. No one answered Leo’s grumbling verbally, but it was clear on everyone’s face that said possibility was far too in character for anyone’s liking, no matter how far-fetched it might be in practice.

“Then what is your plan?” Elric asked, moving on. “Or do you have one yet? Will you stay here for the time being, or do you plan to go ahead and continue to Earth?”

“I had planned to keep us here on the planet until we got a more specific peep out of her,” The captain replied. “I appreciate the safety being hidden down here offers my crew.”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you need,” Llyr told them all. “And return, if that is what you wish, once this is over.” There was an assumption in those words that it would all be over quickly: no one wanted to think about a situation in which that wasn’t the case. A drawn-out conflict, even all-out war, with Eris’ supporters and her Klingon allies wasn’t going to end well for anyone--and it had been a long time since humanity had equipped itself for a siege like that.

Despite their carefree sun basking and beautiful, delicate-looking architecture, the merpeople were far better prepared for real war than the humans--something the Enterprise’s crew would find out sooner rather than later.

“And when you do leave. Will you be leaving the survivors still among you with us?”

Elric’s question caught the crew off-guard—even caught _Addie_ off-guard—and Kirk’s eyebrows lifted thoughtfully.

“That’s a damn good idea. I wouldn’t want to take them all into a battle against Eris, and I’m sure you’d have a better chance of reconnecting them with some kind of family than we ever will on the Enterprise.”

“And they will be happier among more of their own kind,” Spock added, which resulted in Jim casting a very small, almost uncomfortable glance in his direction.

He could handle that one later.

“Are they safe to transfer?” Addie asked quietly, looking up at Leo with a mostly-hidden apprehension in her eyes that he suspected had less to do with the children’s safety than it did her having to part with them.

“I’d say so. It’s been about a month, now, they’ve all been stable for almost as long, and besides, it’s like you said. You all have your own doctors. People better suited to taking care of them than we are.”

“You and your team have proven yourselves more than up to the task,” Llyr complimented calmly. “But I, too, would feel better about leaving them here.”

“Maggie’s gonna have a fucking field day,” Elric chuckled, and Spock tilted his head to one side.

“I’m afraid I am unfamiliar with that parlance,” He inquired, and Addie smiled to herself as Elric’s eyebrows rose and he attempted to think of an explanation.

“My wife is a bit of a mother hen. And by a bit, I mean a lot. She’s going to enjoy this, she’s, uh...gonna thrive off it,” The prince explained, and Spock nodded his understanding even as Jim hid his smile behind his hand.

(There was no way Spock hadn’t heard him use that phrase at _least_ once, and Spock was a vault that did not often crack. Little shit.)

“Then may myself and the Doctor coordinate with your wife and your medical facilities here in Parallax to begin transporting the children?”

“Absolutely. I’ll give her a call. Addie, you can get Maggie up to speed, eh?”

Leonard was not blind to the way Addie relaxed a hair when Elric offered her a way to remain involved, and he realized he, too, was going to miss those little, clingy monsters. Hell, he missed his _own_ clingy monster.

“Of course I can. When do we start?”

As it turned out, they started almost immediately. No one wanted to waste time looking through the air-accessible lower levels of the city when they could be ferrying children to at least some semblance of safety (they’d been assured that the shelters in Parallax had been updated sooner than Aphelion’s, and new construction had begun almost immediately following that first attack to ensure no one was left without some form of cover), but as it turned out, they would likely get to walk through the tunnels beneath the waves anyway: the city’s main hospital was set close to the half-submerged globe in the city’s center, and it was connected by tunnels set at the lower levels that could be accessed on foot apart from the bridges.

Not that the children needed them: doctors and nurses still in full aquatic form appeared in the waters surrounding the globe, and down beneath the observation level where the clear walls revealed the world beneath the waves, Addie stood at the glass translating between Dr. McCoy and her people.

“If we can get the children into the water, we have our own way of transporting them en masse to where they need to be. A single entry point will allow us to divert to other facilities as well so we don’t completely overwhelm this one.”

“That sounds fine, except getting them into the water. A shuttle isn’t exactly going to promote gentle surface conditions, we can’t beam them while we’re trying to stay cloaked, and they’re nowhere near ready to swim that far,” Leo replied, picking at his chin in deep thought with a deeper frown.

“Our shuttles create less disturbance on the water, Doctor, if you’d be willing to give them a try. In fact most of them shift from watercraft to spacecraft quite easily.”

This time both Addie and Leo turned to survey the owner of this new voice, and while Leonard looked a little...shocked, Addie lit up like Christmas.

_“Maggie!”_

Leonard hadn’t seen Addie move that damn fast since she shot across the room into her father’s arms, not even to greet her brother, and this time didn’t seem all that different; but the way Addie glued herself to the other slim, slightly too long woman wasn’t what had the good doctor staring.

“Hang on,” He said, hand coming away from his chin so that he could wave it while he spoke. “What’s that accent?”

“Brooklyn, Doc,” The other princess said with a sly grin. “You don’t really think we all abandoned Earth completely, do you? Born and raised in--and around--the city.”

Bones’ shock grew no less palpable as he looked back and forth between both smirking princesses.

“Then why the hell do you and your family sound _British?”_

“Because half of us were born and schooled in London,” Addie replied easily.

“No--now--you didn’t tell me that!”

“It didn’t seem necessary. I told you we’d all spent time among humans.”

“Yeah, you did, and you also told me you’d never eaten in your human form.”

“And I hadn’t. They made sure it wasn’t necessary while I was in school, just in case. Our bodies take to eating like humans far better as adults. Sunshine and Wheezy elected to go to school in New York rather than in England, and Papa and Daidi are from Brooklyn too--just a lot farther back.”

Bones just blinked at the two in pure consternation and then shook his head with a huff.

“Anything else you aren’t tellin’ me? Do you have another form with wings or somethin’? Four heads? You married?”

“No, Doctor, that surprise is still solely yours,” Addie denied with a raised brow. “And neither do I sprout wings nor extra heads.” She ignored Leonard’s skeptical growl and frown and turned to Maggie once more. “Taking our own shuttles to the Enterprise would be perfect if we weren’t trying to keep it at least somewhat hidden.”

“What are you talking about? You don’t think she has spies on the planet, do you?”

“I think she’s smart enough to try. Especially if she knew we were headed here; that would be the first thing I did, anyway. She’s gotten information on all of us somehow.”

Maggie nodded, bit her thumbnail for a moment, and then side-eyed first Addie and then Leo.

“Your ship can’t come underwater by any chance, can it?”

This time Addie looked at Bones with a new kind of hesitant wickedness: she remembered Scotty’s blatant refusal to put the ship in the ocean. A smirk all his own stole across the doctor’s face, and he pulled out his communicator to call for the captain.

“This is Kirk.”

“Hey, Jim, we uh. We’ve got a little bit of a situation.”

“What kind of situation?”

The captain’s seriousness did not match the glee in Leonard’s green eyes.

“The kind of situation that means we have to put the ship under, at least to get the children out,” He replied, and on the other end there was a pause.

“Oh, he’s gonna _love_ this.”

It was everything Bones could do not laugh with evil glee.

“All right, well get me a safe location to put her down, make a plan to ferry them out, and then get back in contact with me. We’re going over Eris’ last known whereabouts and trying to pinpoint where those propaganda transmissions keep coming from. We’re afraid they may be planetside.”

“‘They’ who,” Maggie cut in with a serious frown. “‘They’ Eris and Ingrid, or ‘they’ a bunch of lackeys planted on the surface? Because if she’s planted people here, then she’s planted people elsewhere.”

“Who am I speaking to?” Kirk asked, confusion clear in his voice, and Addie pursed her lips together against a smile.

“My name is Maggie. I’m the _other_ princess,” The other woman explained.

“Then why do you sound like you’re an American?”

“Because I’m an American, Captain.”

“...Oh. Well...it’s safe to assume Eris has _had_ people everywhere, she was able to capture both princes _before_ she Hexed Aphelion and we know she’s working with the Klingons, so her reach has spread pretty far since you beat her a thousand years ago.”

Addie was nodding in agreement even before Jim finished speaking, and Maggie looked up at her with wide eyes.

“You didn’t mention Klingons.”

“We hadn’t gotten there yet?” Addie offered with an apologetic smile, and Maggie rolled her eyes and sighed.

“We’ll draw up our plans, Captain, and I’ll personally see to it that your ship is cloaked during your movements to keep the rest of your crew safe. I’m not taking any chances; it looks like we’re going to need you.”

“Yeah, well, it sounds like we’re gonna need you too,” Jim muttered, cold beating through his veins for the trillionth time since it all began. Spock stepped up from behind his captain and placed himself beside the shorter man, arm not quite brushing arm; it was as much comfort as Spock would allow himself to offer outside of the privacy of their quarters.

Kirk had wondered, before they made the trek over to Parallax, whether he’d made a mistake in involving himself and his crew in this fight against Ashtad; but it had become increasingly more clear that perhaps involving himself at the beginning could be the only thing that kept their planet--and potentially their Federation--in one piece.

“Keep me updated, Bones. I’ll be close by.”

It took the rest of the day to work out the exact logistics of the transfer, an entire day to plan and prepare, to reach out to the various facilities around Parallax and find out who could take what, how may, and how long they’d need to prepare. Not that they’d be given as much time as they felt they needed, but breaking the children up into groups was going to make things easier on everyone.

Everyone except the princess.

“You’re being awful quiet over there,” Leo said later on that evening. They’d been brought to the palace to eat and rest for the night, rather than head back up to the ship and perhaps arouse more suspicion and attention, and after they’d eaten the crew had been given the option to tour the palace with its actual inhabitants as guides. Leo had gone simply because Jim wouldn’t let him stay behind, and Addie was too polite (and too loath to be alone) to hang back by herself, which meant the two of them now trailed several yards behind the others through the halls, strolling slowly side by side. Addie looked up at him in slight surprise, and then offered him a wry little smile.

“Is it really so out of character for me to be silent?”

“A little, yeah. When you’re this quiet. But even silence says somethin’, sometimes.”

“And what does my silence say, Doctor?” Addie asked as the group rounded a corner ahead of them and disappeared. Her step faltered for a second as she felt him take her hand, and she turned to look at him in surprise.

“It says you’re worried about those kids.”

“...Yes. But I think that was obvious.”

“And I think you’re worried about what you’re supposed to do when they’re gone. They gave you somethin’ to do so that when things got hairy, you could distract yourself for a while.”

Addie stopped walking and looked away, but Leo kept talking.

“And I think leavin’ ‘em is leavin’ behind a reminder that you didn’t get everyone killed, even if it was just a few. And I think you’re going to miss the hell out of ‘em because you practically adopted ‘em for several weeks.”

The princess swallowed and drew in a deep breath.

“All right, you have your diagnosis. What about a cure?”

Leo turned too, turned to face Addie and smooth his other hand down her arm until he held that hand, too. Something about that place (that _girl)_ seemed to make him...stupid. Reckless and rarin’ to get his heart broken.

“I would suggest listening to your doctor when he tells you that just because you’ll be away from these kids doesn’t mean you haven’t helped save hundreds of people. And when he tells you there’s always gonna be some kind of way to find them again,” He murmured, his own hazel-green eyes intent upon Addie’s.

“And what about distractions? What am I going to do when it’s all too much?”

There was real earnestness in her gaze, too; gods only knew this was barely even scratching the possible surface of what they could be fighting with Eris and the Klingons. Leo stepped a little closer, looked her over with a deeper frown, and then sighed softly.

“You’re gonna come find your doctor,” He told her, and there was something in the way he said it that made her certain he wasn’t just talking about himself as Dr. McCoy.

“Will I?” She asked softly, almost breathlessly: this reversal in position was _beyond_ sudden. Leo released one hand so that he could reach up and brush some stray little curls back behind her ear, and his expression turned sweetly beseeching.

“Will you?”

The breath caught in her chest and she wet her lips; the beat of her heart shifted and sped in uneven squeezes, her senses seeming to come alive as if her body thought she was in danger, and she realized she _was_ scared by that request.

But it wasn’t a kind of fear she was used to.

“I don’t know what happens after this,” She told him with gentle honesty. Addie could die, or they all could, or equally likely they could be forced to go their separate ways. She didn’t want to give in to that admittedly tempting offer without first making sure he knew that.

She wouldn’t hurt him.

“Neither do I,” Leo reminded her, and he lifted his brows to accent the point. Addie looked up at him for a moment more, deliberating visibly, and then….

And then she nodded.

“I’ll call my doctor,” She agreed, her budding smile hesitant and lopsided. “And I hope my doctor calls me.”


	13. Jesus, Darlin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's not interested in touring anything that isn't Addie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is your glaring warning, y'all: the Smut Fairy has visited. It IS explicit. It does NOT fade to black. I do not recommend this chapter for anyone who's offended by erotic literature. 
> 
> I HIGHLY recommend it if you aren't.

Leo grinned, brilliant and excited, a boyish expression with dimples so sweet, and pulled her in closer by the hand he still held so that he could wrap his arms around her waist and hold her close. Addie slid her arms under his and around his own waist as a beaming grin finally settled into place on her own lips. It felt _good_ to hold him close, it always had, but holding him tight like this knowing there were no more pretenses was a special thrill she’d never experienced before. She rested her head on his chest as he smoothed a hand up her back, and turned pink when she felt him brush a kiss to her hair.

“You wanna keep touring?” He asked, and she laughed softly.

“I can come here any time I want. Do _you_ want to keep going?”

“To be honest, Darlin’, I couldn’t care less. I’m sure this is all an engineer’s wet dream but it reminds me too much of the Yorktown base to make me any kind of comfortable.”

“Yorktown?”

“Big ol’ starbase we kept from practically being dissolved by some evil, mystical space smoke.”

“I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

“I wish that I was, sweetheart. But like I said, I’m not super interested in seeing where everyone else sleeps.”

“Everyone else, hmm? Tell me, what are the odds that they’ll come searching for you?”

“Not good if they can’t find you either, Jim has walked in on one too many--” He stopped as Addie lifted her face from his chest and lifted an eyebrow. “It’s not as bad as it sounds, we’ve known each other for a long damn time,” He backtracked quickly, and Addie snorted.

“Come along, Doctor. I think it’s safe to say you’d still like to see where _I_ sleep.”

Bones allowed Addie to slip out of his embrace with a low rumble that sent a shiver down her spine, but even though it made her flush all over again, she didn’t deny the things that sound hinted at as she reached for his hand and led him away.

“I will say, I think it’s interestin’ that you all have bedrooms both in open air and beneath the water,” He commented as he accepted her hand and followed, skin a little warmer than usual. There was something about the way she flushed, something in the tension between them that made him sure he was about to get a little more than sleep, and as that heat spread he found he needed to do _something_ to distract himself.

Or else he might _accidentally_ pin her to a wall.

And she seemed like the kind of woman who would enjoy that.

“More functional than exorbitant, I promise,” Addie replied, trying to pretend like she didn’t share that same heat. She wasn’t a stranger to it—he’d brought it out in her before—but this time it was different. This time they’d taken down that barrier and they _might_ even make good on it.

Thank the gods.

(Addie was very much the kind of woman who would enjoy that. She just didn’t know it yet.)

“We don’t literally go onto land to...procreate,” She continued, ignoring the fact that her cheeks darkened instantly. “Not usually. It’s extremely vulnerable and we’d be everywhere, all the time. And, since for a period anyone carrying will have to remain in their humanoid form, it only makes sense to have both.”

“Mmm. Makes sense,” Leo replied, fully aware of that blush and trying to breathe through the things it tried to do to him until they were at least in private. They weren’t alone, after all: there were guards stationed all over, looking pretty terrifying to boot, and Leo didn’t feel like giving them any kind of show. The conversation dwindled into a silence that dripped with that same tension, glances thrown in both directions and accompanied by little smiles, and both of them were silently relieved when Addie slowed down.

“Here we are.”

‘Here’ was a pair of double doors watched by a guard on each side, and they opened them for the princess and stepped back out of the way so that she could lead her doctor inside. This room was much like the others, open to the ocean on all sides, the lights of the city glowing through the darkening waters around them. It wasn’t large, but yet somehow, even with the darkened waters all around, the golden glow of their lights made it cozy.

“You, uh...you don’t sleep in here, right? Where everyone can see you?” Leo asked, and Addie laughed.

“No, I don’t. I sleep through here.” She led him back through a set of automatic doors across the room and through a little tunnel that was covered with the same coppery material, with intricate, artistic cut-outs providing a view of the sea outside, and she opened the next set of doors at the end of the tunnel to reveal something much more Leonard’s speed.

This room was just as round as the others, a globe cut in half by a beautiful wooden floor, but it was covered like the tunnel just outside. This time the openings were at regular intervals, pointed ovals that acted as windows that would (he assumed) let in light when the sun was out, since they weren’t far from the surface; and this time, though the outside was the same coppery color, the side that faced the room and touched the glass was painted the same cerulean shades as the seas of Earth. It swirled in unblended spirals, darker like the deep oceans near the bottom that got lighter near the top, just like looking at the surface from underneath as painted by an impressionist. Soft, sunshine yellow curtains gathered at the top of the dome and draped out like rays of sunlight to hang beside each window, waiting to be drawn to shield from prying eyes, and the bed across from them faded from white to blue just like her hair in her mermaid form.

“This is….”

“Loud?” Addie finished for him, and Leo smiled sheepishly.

“I was gonna say--”

“Loud,” Addie said again, and Leo lifted both eyebrows.

“Let me finish, damn it. I was going to say happy. And whimsical.”

Addie grinned up at him, lifting both eyebrows as she let out a quiet giggle.

“I never thought I’d hear you say the word ‘whimsical’.”

“I never thought I’d use it,” Leo snarked in reply, and she only grinned wider. “How old were you when you put all of this together?”

“Seventeen. There was a lot more yellow until then.”

“Yellow your favorite color?”

“It is, yes.”

“Like sunshine?”

“Like daffodils,” Addie corrected him, and he blinked in surprise.

“Favorite flower?”

Addie nodded and he nodded in return, letting his eyes wander over the space.

“What’s that trapdoor for?”

“Open it and see,” Addie said, and Leo just frowned at her like he wasn’t dumb enough to fall for whatever that was about to be. She snorted and rolled her eyes. “All right, I’ll open it. Come here.” She closed the few feet between them and the trapdoor set off to the side and then opened it to reveal a rush of that same salty, metallic air that had met them when they first stepped off the shuttle on Parallax. Without warning Addie stepped down through the door, and Leo realized she was walking down a set of spiraling stairs when she shortened in weird intervals with every step she seemed to take. With a heavy sigh he rolled his eyes and then followed her down.

In the space beneath her bedroom there was growing grass, the room hot and humid like a greenhouse. The grass only took up one side of the room, maybe only a third of the way out, and then it stopped at a wooden-walled edge and seawater filled the rest, lapping softly at the walls in the gentlest of motions.

“That,” Addie said, pointing to what looked like a swing, “Pulls me out of the water if and when when I’m ready to come back onto dry land. It lifts me out, follows the track, and sets me down on the grass so I can change. And in reverse, all I have to do is jump into the water to change back and swim down to the exit at the bottom to go into the lower levels of the palace or out into the ocean proper. I’d take you down, but you’d need that suit you love so much.”

“No, _you_ like that suit,” Bones denied with a sassy tilt of his eyebrow, and the princess flashed him a little smirk.

“I don’t like the suit, doctor.” She canted her head to one side. “I like what it fails to hide.”

Leonard opened his mouth to speak and then stopped, nodded to himself, and folded his hands behind his back with that same little bounce that had tickled her so much what felt like a year before.

“How long ago was it that you kissed anyone?”

“A few weeks,” Addie snarked, and Leo’s lip twitched.

“Not me, Princess. Before that. Fifteen years?”

“You remember just fine, Leo.”

“Fifteen years then. And you were thirteen?”

“Leonard, why don’t you just ask me what you want to ask me?” Addie cut off his questioning with a knowing smile, and he stepped closer, into her personal space, eyes burning down into hers in a way that made her swallow hard.

“Why don’t you just tell me what you think I wanna know?” He drawled, that accent low and slow and sinful. Addie drew in a breath and placed her hand on the center of his chest, studying the way even her long, thin fingers seemed small on a chest that broad, her sculpted cheeks flushed all over again.

“You’ll be my first,” She murmured, and then lifted those big green eyes up to look him in the eye with a sweetly innocent and open expression on her face. Addie tilted her head to the side again and shifted just a little, hinting at that squirm he found so temptingly adorable. “If you want to be.”

Leo growled low and rough and took her by the hips, his grip firm but careful as he tugged her closer and leaned in for a hot, hard kiss that she matched with a needy little gasp. Her other hand found the back of his neck and kept him close as she shivered against his chest: she wasn’t used to her body coming alive like that and not having any reason to force it into submission, and without that need for restraint she found herself hot and flushed and _wanting_ without any direction. Luckily he didn’t seem to mind just kissing her, obeying that steadying hand and tasting as she had not allowed him to that night a month before.

Every movement of his mouth against hers, slow and devouring, melted her to her bones and kept pulling those same little gasps and whimpers right out of her like a maestro with his instrument. His grip changed, pressing her even tighter to his body with a hand at the small of her back, the other lifting to tangle in her hair.

 _That_ pulled a sound out of her that could only be classified as a true moan and he gave it right back with a rough groan against her own lips, his hand tightening, her own turning to claws on his chest—and when she subconsciously added that little sting, he added his own, nipping at her lips in a way that sent heat straight to the bottom of her belly and turned that sweet heat building so quickly between her thighs into a genuine pulse. She pulled back to breathe and found herself panting, yet even though she was already light-headed she couldn’t help the way she ran her nose along Leo’s, lips brushing along his skin even with her mouth still open.

“Jesus, Darlin’,” Leo swore, watching Addie like he was witnessing some sort of miracle. It pulled a smile across her lips, but when she leaned in for more he pulled back. “Wait—Wait just a minute, I got one more thing to ask you.”

“Ask me anything, Leonard,” She nearly crooned, and that pulled an even deeper rumble out of him and sent heat straight down his own spine.

“I sure do like the way you say that,” He purred.

“Leonard?” Addie repeated his name in the same tone and this time he was the one who shivered, and then he released her hair and rested his fingertips on her lips in a silent hush.

“Let me finish before you start doin’ all that, sweetheart, or else I’m gonna forget the question,” He told her, and shook his head when she grinned with wicked accomplishment. “Do your people ever masturbate?”

Addie didn’t answer verbally: instead she pulled her chin back and shook her head, that accomplishment fading into confusion. Not because they didn’t, but because she honestly wasn’t familiar with the word.

Apparently they didn’t teach _that_ at mermaid school.

“Uh—you—alright, do your people ever...pleasure themselves?” Bones tried again, and this time it clicked.

“Some of them must, I suppose,” She replied, a frown still fixed on her face.

“But not you?”

“To be honest, darling, the thought never crossed my mind. I’ve lived most of my life without the necessary equipment.” Green eyes surveyed him curiously. “Do you?”

The doctor swallowed and cleared his throat, trying to pretend like his face hadn’t gone a little red. He’d asked her the same question, it was only fair he answer, but hell if he didn’t want to just drift away into the ocean instead.

“Yeah. Sometimes,” He replied honestly, and was surprised to see that curious light he loved so much join the heat in her eyes. Addie slid the hand on his chest up to join the other on his neck and tilted her chin up, easing close to him again, silently asking for kisses as much as answers.

“Since you’ve known me?” Addie pressed, and despite the color in his face Leo leaned in and kissed her softly, his eyes darkening.

“ _Because_ I’ve known you,” He rumbled. His answer twisted at those same pulsing places in Addie’s body, and her slim thighs pressed together without her say-so. Addie leaned up onto her toes and brushed her lips against his, seeking more and more from him since he had pulled away.

“Will you show me?”

Apparently _that_ had been a big red button, and Addie couldn’t tell by the way he closed his eyes and cleared his throat whether it was a good one or a bad one.

“Or not,” She backtracked, and he looked down at her with a little smirk.

“I’d be happy to show you, but you might have more fun if you don’t sit on the sidelines,” Leo replied softly. Addie met his gaze for a moment, and then she leaned up to kiss him again.

“Take me upstairs,” She whispered, and Leo growled deep and low. She wasn’t ready for him to pick her up by her waist, yet he did, grip strong and steady; but she giggled after she gasped and wrapped her legs around his own waist, and she leaned in for yet another kiss as he walked them both back up to the steps, slowly carrying her up the spiral staircase as she slipped one hand into his hair and wrapped her other arm around his shoulders.

Addie expected him to set her down when they reached the top floor, but instead he crawled right onto the bed with her still wrapped around him, shuffling on his knees until he could lay her down with her head on the pillows and then stretch out until he lay with his hips resting perfectly between her thighs, his arms beside her face, fingers pulling gently through her hair with a grin.

“Not in any kind of hurry, are you?”

“No, darling. I’m all yours.”

“Good, ‘cause I’ve got plans for you,” Leo replied, low and playful. “And I don’t wanna be interrupted.”

Those plans, however, included more kissing to begin with, which had the princess torn between frustration and delight. She hadn’t realized there could be _that_ many variations on what she’d once considered little more than a press of lips, even if the meaning had been significant, but this was pure electricity and kept her heart beating in ways that made her wonder if it wouldn’t pound right out of her chest if they did much more.

And _oh_ , she hoped they would.

Addie’s hands wandered as she gained more confidence (got _needier)_ , smoothing up the curve of his broad back, nibbling at his lips as she did so; and with just a bit more confidence she experimentally slid her fingers up under the hem of his shirt to trace against skin she’d neither seen nor touched before.

“Want me to take it off?” Leo murmured against her lips, and Addie shook her head.

“I want to take it off,” She told him, and he let his head fall into the crook of her neck with an expression of pure torment.

“Never let it be said you don’t know what you want,” He ground out, and then sucked a hot, pulling kiss into the skin of her neck. Addie gasped quietly, not familiar with the sensation, and almost whined as he sat back even to fulfill her request. Sat back on his ankles, Leo waited for Addie to push herself up onto her own knees, and met her gaze with an easy confidence that made her bite her lip and smile both shy and wanting. She was too curious to keep staring him in the eye as she reached out to push both shirts up his sides at once and then on over his head, green eyes intent as she watched the path her fingers traced down his chest while he tossed the clothes off to the side.

“Now I know I’m not the first man you’ve seen shirtless,” Leo teased, trying his best not to turn pink under such rapt attention. Addie smiled and finally tore her gaze away to look at him.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen _you_.”

“Do I pass?”

“Pass what? There is no test.” Once again she trailed her fingertips along his skin, up his sides this time, and she urged him back up onto his own knees so that he was taller than her again when she dipped her head forward to press an experimental kiss to the hollow of his throat, keeping him close with her hands on his hips as she continued along the line of his collarbone. She felt him sigh beneath her lips, and then she paused for only a half a beat as she felt his hands smooth up her back, still wearing nothing but that sarong.

“You can take it off,” Addie whispered against his skin, and he hummed in answer as his fingers found the knot holding it closed and worked it loose. He didn’t let it drop, though, waiting for her to sit back and look up at him curiously to unwrap the ends from around her neck and ease it gently away from her body. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen her naked--wouldn’t have been the first time _any_ of them saw her naked--but it was the first time he allowed himself to really _look_ in a way that wasn’t clinical. She was practically tiny, slender in a delicate way, her limbs long and lithe (her entire body was still very much designed to retain some of the hydrodynamic qualities of her other form); but he knew damn well how much that woman could take, knew the strength hidden in that heart, and that more than _anything_ was what made her so damn attractive in that moment.

All that passion, all that ferocity and tenacity and stubbornness and perseverance and resilience was now soft and bare for him and _god_ did it make him want.

Make him _need._

“Do I pass?” She gave his question back to him with a little smirk, and he snorted and shook his head.

“The universe is the one handing out your tests, Darlin’. I’m just here for you.”

Addie rolled her eyes and then tilted her head to one side, worrying her lip between her teeth as her eyes dropped to the top of his pants.

“Then take the rest of that off and come here,” She purred, and he lifted an eyebrow and stood to do _exactly_ that. Addie’s heart beat a little harder as he stepped out of his boots and socks and then began to undo his pants; she knew he was watching her as much as she was watching him, but still she didn’t look away, cheeks flushed again as he pushed his pants down his hips. Addie’s breath vanished from her lungs and she swallowed hard, and when still she couldn’t seem to get a breath she cleared her throat slightly and turned even redder at the way he chuckled low and pleased and taunting at the sound.

“Somethin’ the matter, Princess?” Leo growled, and grinned darkly as her hands visibly twitched where she’d sat back on her heels and placed her hands on her thighs.

“Gods no,” She denied, staring him straight in the eye as he came around to the side of the bed, _finally_ as bare as she was for once. She made to turn as he climbed up just behind her and he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, even that touch sending a hot shiver down her spine.

“You asked me to show you, didn’t you?” He reminded her, and she opened her mouth, turned well past red into purple, and tried again.

“Why is it that I never get quite what I asked from you?”

“Just my contrary nature, sweetheart,” The doctor replied easily, and he kept that hand on her shoulder as she felt him move around behind her, felt him rearrange her pillows and settle back against the headboard.

“Am I going to like this more than the last time?”

“Oh, I have no doubt, Darlin’. Now c’mere, lean back against me.” Leo pulled her back against his chest between his spread legs, his body hot along her back, his own need painfully clear against her skin in a way that made that pulsing ache that worked its way through her body almost unbearable. It got no better when he reached around her waist with gentle hands and eased her own thighs apart, and Addie let her head fall back against is shoulder as she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You okay?”

“Yes. I think,” The princess replied, and he chuckled even if his hands did not stop with simply opening her legs. He caressed the skin there, a tease up the sweet, tender skin of her inner thighs, and then smoothed his hands back down the outsides or the tops and tried to soothe her racing pulse back down into something more manageable.

He’d barely started yet; the poor thing was going to have a heart-attack if he wasn’t careful.

(Leonard was going to pretend like that didn’t inflate his ego.)

“I don’t have to give you an anatomy lesson here, do I?” He asked, only mostly kidding, and Addie huffed out a laugh, followed by a bright grin.

“Gods I hope not, else my teachers have all failed me.”

“Good, ‘cause I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to slow down to give you the tour,” Leo teased in return, and Addie giggled--until his fingers passed over her exposed clit, pressing between her folds just enough to give her some real friction. The giggle became a gasp as he let out a low groan. “Jesus, Darlin’, you shoulda told me you wanted me this bad, I woulda been happy to oblige,” He teased as he let himself play in that hot, dripping arousal. Addie’s breath shook and hitched softly with every pass.

“And be interrupted by your captain? I’m far less likely to snap and bite someone here where we won’t be disturbed.”

“Well damn,” Leo shot back, and the princess grinned, her head still resting against his shoulder, her eyes closed so that she could focus on what being touched like that actually felt like.

“I wasn’t talking about you, darling. I’ll bite you any time you ask,” She giggle-gasped as he drew his fingers back up to rub slow circles against the slick skin of her clit.

“That’s a relief. Now here, give me your hand….” He trailed off as she did just that, and he guided her fingers along her body just like he’d been doing, teasing along the outside, smoothing up and down in that delicious wet. She finally opened her eyes again, and lifted her head to watch their hands move over her body, lips parted with a slight pant as each touch worked her up just a little higher, and just a little higher, until she wasn’t able to keep herself from making those same needy little whines she’d whined earlier. “Keep doin’ that right there,” Leo ordered, leaving her to rub her clit just as he had been, and her breath hitched with a gasp as he found her nipple with one hand and began to tease.

 _“Oh,”_ Addie gasped softly as she felt it both right there beneath his fingers and then beneath her own, adding to a need that was quickly becoming desperate.

“You like that?”

“Yes--I-- _yes,_ I do,” She moaned weakly in return. “They failed to mention that one to me.”

“Well now you know.” Leo kept working her nipple between his thumb and forefinger gently, and his other hand slid down beyond her own so that he could press one finger into that tight, wet heat. Addie’s thighs twitched and began to close, and then she forced them back open again to keep from interrupting the way he worked that finger in and out in counter to the rhythm she’d set herself; the new sensation turned those whimpers and gasps into genuine moans, and as Addie’s thighs began to tremble faintly he pulled his finger out and then added a second, stretching her carefully, and when he pulled his fingers back out so that he could thrust in again he curled his fingers in search of that bone-melting spot he wondered if they’d _also_ neglected to tell her about.  

Addie swore shakily, her back bending slowly until she was pressing up off of his chest in a gorgeous arch with every repeated curl.

“Show me,” She moaned brokenly, and he growled again, but before he responded he took a moment to indulge himself and nip along her shoulder. Leo eased his fingers back in and left them curled against that sweet spot, and he took another second to nip at her earlobe before he rumbled his instructions into her ear.

“Use your other hand. Do just like I did and feel where my fingers are, and be careful with those talons, killer.”

 _“Yes_ _sir,”_ Addie keened brokenly, and had no idea why her response made him shiver and produce a sound that was almost as desperate as hers had been.

Clearly no one had thought to teach her much about kinks--and if he were to be completely honest, that was not a kink the good doctor had explored, despite his...sometimes prolific dalliances.

He had a feeling it wouldn’t be as effective coming from anyone else.

Addie slid her finger in alongside his own and carefully followed that curve with a moan as it stretched her that much further, and slowly felt the differences in the texture beneath their touch that very helpfully marked where that maddening place lay. When Leo began to thrust and pull again, she did just as he did, still working her other hand against her clit, his fingers still toying with her nipple. It was a mix of sensations that had her writhing against his chest with pleasure-clouded abandon, every breath a sound that worked steadily toward pure ecstasy, the way her thighs trembled overtaking the rest of her until Leo’s princess was a delicious mess against his chest.

“Keep doing what I do,” Leo groaned roughly in Addie’s ear, but instead of replying aloud she simply nodded and followed as his rhythm sped and drove her with practiced skill right to the edge. She wasn’t ready for it--and yet she was _oh,_ so ready for it, silently begging with every rock of her hips and broken call of Leo’s name, full name and the shortened version alternating thoughtlessly until she wasn’t able to produce sound at all. She forgot the words for this, this _rush_ as need and pleasure finally reached a fever pitch and crashed through her without mercy. Her own hands stilled, but Leonard didn’t: he worked Addie through her first orgasm with a filthy moan of his own, happily lost in the magic that was his Princess coming undone in his arms with cries he could already tell she wasn’t aware were so loud or so beautiful.

 _“Fuck,”_ Addie swore breathlessly, still writhing weakly against his chest as Leo continued to work his fingers in a slow, easy rhythm until her already melted body was able to breathe without panting. Only when Leo began to remove his fingers did Addie remove hers, and without a thought to what it might look like or how he might react, Addie popped her finger in her mouth to suck it clean, curious about her own flavor. She didn’t realize that might have been something taboo until Leo swore, but when she craned her neck to look at him she only saw heat in his eyes.

“Is that...not good?”

“Oh god, sweetheart, that’s _perfect_ ,” He rasped, and eased his fingers out of her entirely with a little smirk as she loosed one more boneless moan. Leo did just the same as she had and groaned around his fingers.

Leonard McCoy couldn’t wait to get his princess under his tongue for real.

Addie let Leo lift her other hand away from her clit and suck those clean as well, biting her lip as he worked slow and dirty over her skin.

“Your turn?” She asked, and Leo grinned and shook his head.

“Oh no, not yet. I don’t know about your species, but human males need a little more time between orgasms than women.”

“I can wait.” Addie said it with such certainty that Leo actually stopped and looked at her in contemplation.

“I guess you can, can’t you.” She’d sure as hell proven _that._ “Alright, Darlin’. You call the shots, then. Where do you want me?”

“Lay down,” Addie told him confidently, and he lifted both eyebrows in amusement and slid down to lay on his back with more than a little curiosity in his gaze as she moved to lay on her side beside him, propped up on one elbow. Once again her eyes followed her hand as she trailed her nails down his torso, tracing rambling lines and swirls along his skin in a way that made him close his eyes and hum. Leo was waiting for the way her hand stopped at the bottom of his belly.

“Go on,” He encouraged her calmly, his own green eyes opening to pin her with a look that was just as open and willing. “It’s all right. Can’t do too much wrong as long as you keep watchin’ those nails.”

Addie swallowed and then moved her hand lower, and she watched his face as she took him in hand and gave a slow, steady, experimental stroke. Leo’s eyes closed again and he let out a soft groan, and she found herself beginning to grin as he pushed up toward her hand.

“Good?” She asked, and he nodded and chuckled, the sound hitching when she did it again.   
  
“Good.”

“Show me?” Addie requested again, and this time he gave her exactly what she asked for. His hand closed around hers, and slowly, watchfully--so that she could pick up on exactly what it was she wanted to know--he worked both hands around his length. Her gaze drifted over his body as they moved, drinking in every line, every curve: just as she’d suspected there was a lot more power in that broad-shouldered body than his uniform sometimes showed. Despite the strength evident in his body there was still a softness; he wasn’t lean and cut like her own people were, humanity’s species and way of life not making it quite as easy as it was for her own species, but she _loved_ it. Lines that would have been sharp, muscles that would have been hard were all gentled and she knew from experience on both sides that given the opportunity to curl up against one or the other, she’d choose her doctor’s build every time.

Who wanted to spoon a rock?

Eventually Addie pulled her gaze away from where it had come to rest on their moving hands and watched Leo’s face instead, smiling with a playful hunger as she bent down to kiss him. He groaned against her lips, partly because of the kiss, and partly because she’d taken that moment to move on her own and work her fingertips against a place beneath the head where he’d spent a noticeable several seconds not long before. The groan, and knowing she’d caused it, brought a special kind of heat to her belly: a pleased and powerful kind, the kind that made her realize she liked to take some control as much give it--

But most importantly, she loved being the one to (hopefully) work him over the edge just as he’d done for her.

Leo’s hand fell away from hers after that, and she knew it was a silent sign that she’d pretty much got it on her own. Addie began to experiment with pressure and speed, teasing her thumb over the skin that covered the tip, recognizing similar signs in Leo that she’d displayed herself when she found a rhythm that began to push him closer to climax: the soft panting, the hitched breathing, the writhing and growls and groans and genuine moans. Her pulse sped as her hands did, and then thudded harder, that ache between her thighs returning with a vengeance since it had already been awoken once; her nerves were humming and sensitive, and she realized she didn’t want to wait after all. Not if she could go again, not if he could last while she did.

Addie released him with her lips still brushing his and nipped at his lip when he let out what could only be a keen of protest.

“I changed my mind,” She murmured in explanation, fingers trailing down to curiously follow the shape of his balls, and when he looked at her in confusion she shifted until she could straddle his hips and bend down for another kiss. “I don’t want to wait.”

Before she could register what Leo was doing he’d wrapped his arms around her and rolled. She gasped and then laughed, bright and happy, as she ended up on her back so quick it was disorienting, and Leo laughed too as he came in for another kiss.

“Were you hoping I was going to change my mind?” Addie teased, and he lifted both eyebrows to his hairline.

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“You were just going to let me play? How kind.”

“Yeah. _Kind_. That’s what it was,” He joked, but before Addie could sass him in return he ground his hips down so that his cock dragged across her clit and tore a rough, surprised moan from her own lips. “You were saying?” Leo taunted, and Addie wrapped her legs around his waist and tried to coax him closer, silently begging for him to press that hot cock into her and hit all those places they’d gotten with their fingers.

“Please,” She breathed, and she felt him twitch against her in response.

“Gotta be a little patient, here, Darlin’. I’m gonna go slow.”

She wasn’t sure why in the world it mattered until he held himself against her and slowly, gently began to push inside.

This...was a very different sort of stretch from their fingers. Thicker, rounder and more blunt, she found herself gasping slightly and trying to angle her hips as it pinched in places she hadn’t been ready for, her body not entirely ready for it.

Leo shushed her gently, but it was understanding, and he backed off. One hand propping him up by her head, he reached between them and teased between her folds with his fingers once more, playing in that slick arousal, pushing into her in a way that in no way sated her need. It made no sense to her (not with her brain on one exact track, and that was _please_ ) until he stroked himself, ground himself against her again, spread that slick so that when he tried to sink into her again it went a little more smoothly. It was still a stretch that made Addie’s heart beat hard and fast, but it was also one accompanied by a desperate, breathless, filthy moan as she felt him steadily fill her.

It was almost enough to get her off again just like that, and she could tell by the way Leo’s head hit her shoulder that it was just as torturous for him, too.

“God, baby, you just... _god_ you feel so good,” He rasped, and it was all she could do to make any kind of response: it ended up being a shaking moan followed by a bright blush.

He’d never called her ‘baby’ before, and as much as she did love being his Darlin’, there was something she enjoyed about this one, too.

Leo didn’t move immediately; instead he held still and leaned down to kiss her again, the lightest, sweetest brushes--over her cheeks, her eyes, her forehead; over her chin as well as over her lips. It gave her a chance to catch her breath and get used to that new sense of fullness, and it gave _him_ the chance to come back down as much as he could so that this didn’t end a little _prematurely._ Yet even without moving the connection still made Addie’s heart pound: she could feel him within and without, skin hot against hers, his body broad and heavy and leaving her with the sense of being entirely surrounded with nothing but her doctor.

Addie wasn’t ready for the _softness_ in this. She wasn’t ready to feel the same sort of innocent intimacy during sex that she’d felt simply being held by him at night. She wasn’t ready for those natural extensions of affection, or for that tenderness he’d let her see when no one else was looking to blend so astonishingly naturally with the heat in Leonard’s eyes.

It didn’t require experience to see how heady a rush that mixture of adoration and aching need would be, and she _wanted_ it.

The princess lifted her hands from where she’d let them fall and rest above her head, and smoothed her hands over those powerful shoulders and down that equally strong back as her thighs came up to wrap around his hips.

“Please,” She murmured her request alongside the way she used her grip on his hips as an anchor to lift her hips into his and work him a little deeper, and she felt the full-body shiver that followed against every single inch of her.

“As you wish,” Leo replied, soft and yet a little raspy. He shifted his legs to put himself in an easier position to work his hips and then began a slow rhythm: he pulled out almost entirely and listened to the sound Addie made as he did, and then pushed all the way in with equal control. Languid, easy, and tormenting, the doctor’s hips rolled in ways that felt entirely different from their play before, and dialed up the heat with maddening, bone-melting efficiency.

Addie moved with him, unable to keep still; she breathed moans against the skin of his neck and shoulders, let her hands smooth and grip and caress the long planes of his back, let her fingers push through his hair--that same mix of breathtaking adoration and heat beat through her own veins, and it didn’t take much to work her up that way. Not when Leo was doing the same, his thrusts shortening but not speeding, working in deep as he hid his own growls and sighs and groans against her skin or else poured them into her mouth. Without trying any other way, Addie already knew this would be her favorite. The intimacy was intoxicating, wrapped up in each other as everything else fell away, sharing breath and heat, mouthing and sucking and nipping at each other’s bodies; she discovered a particular weakness for the way Leo drew his (now proven to be) wicked tongue up from the hollow of her throat where small beads of sweat had formed all the way up to her jaw.

It wouldn’t occur to her for a while, but it already hovered in the back of her doctor’s mind: this wasn’t just sex. This was _lovemaking_ , a term that tended to make him shudder internally because of its implications, the attachments assumed by anyone who used it. But hell, they’d already crossed lines he used to strictly enforce. They seemed to already _be_ there.

And he liked it.

It had been a long time--not since his ex--that he’d allowed it, but even if they all had to separate, or even if they both died, this wasn’t going to be on his list of regrets. Not ever.

Not her.

“God, you are so beautiful,” Leo ground out against her lips, punctuated with a short moan. He could tell by the way her breathing changed, by the way her nails dug into his back and the way those mind-melting moans changed that she was close, which suited him just fine: he wasn’t going to last much longer either, not with her writhing beneath him and pulling on him and calling his name like some wanton angel.

And feeling Addie come apart against and around him was instantly one of the most gratifying, magnificent things he’d ever experienced.

“Yes, baby, oh yes-- _just_ like that,” He encouraged--and stopped speaking with a sharp gasp as she pulled him as tightly against and into her as she could with one simple word.

 _Please_. 

Begged desperately, breathlessly, she was pleading for the same gratification, to feel him come apart at _all_ , but especially where she could feel him pant and shake against her body just as he had with her twice now. And he gave it to her, his body responding before his mind could catch up, and his hips lost their rhythm as it hit him harder than he’d anticipated.

This time it was _her_ name that was called, and it sent thrills through her like she’d never experienced before--just as his orgasm did, the way he _did_ pant and shake, the way she could feel his release come with every throbbing pulse of his cock (That would definitely go on the list of things she hadn’t known she’d enjoy).

It was a while before either of them moved again: instead they lay there, still wrapped up in each other, nuzzling caresses along each other’s neck and cheeks, soft kisses traded alongside quiet, pleased giggles and equally pleased chuckles that were returned from deep in Leo’s chest. The sweat on their bodies was already beginning to cool and dry by the time Leo sighed, and the sound needed no translation; but neither did Addie’s responding, wordless grumble of displeasure.

“We can’t lay here like this all night, Darlin’, we’re gonna ruin your sheets.”

“I can afford more,” She continued her grumbling, and muffled a whimper in the back of her throat as his real laughter moved _everything._

“And we’ve got all night,” Leo purred in return, by no means unaware of that whimper. He eased himself out of the tangle of limbs and bodies and rolled onto his back. “Y’all have a shower in this joint?”

“Not exactly.”

“What does ‘not exactly’ mean?”

“Means we can go back downstairs and go for a swim if you like,” Addie replied easily, and Bones lifted an eyebrow at her that was far too lazy and sated still to offer any real skepticism.

“Can you hold onto this form? Or are we gonna be playing twenty questions for an hour?”

“Only one way to find out,” Addie replied, and slowly sat herself up and swung her legs around over the edge of the bed. Leo smiled softly at her back, and it only widened when she stood and turned to look at him. “Coming?”

“Right behind ya.”

This time he wasn’t wary and suspicious as he followed her down the stairs, and to her amusement he walked right by her and dove in first.

“I thought you hated water.”

“Oh god no, Princess. I grew up too close to the coast to not have spent time in the water. I just hate that godforsaken suit and the hijinks I know I’m inevitably gonna be drawn into once I’ve got it on,” He replied easily, treading water with his hair pushed back away from his face. A weird expression did cross his face, though. “Nobody’s gonna come swimmin’ up beneath me, are they?”

“Not unless they’ve broken several laws and have a distinct desire for being parted with their head,” Addie told him, smirking just a little. That part wasn’t actually a joke.

The doctor relaxed and then waved her forward, and Addie obeyed with a softer smile. Slowly, carefully she climbed down the ladder set into the retaining wall, and paused at hips-deep when she felt that buzz shake harder through her than the warm, easy-to-ignore vibrations that had begun when she’d hit knee deep. They’d actually been working on this during what little free time they’d had, Leo watching with interest as Addie lowered herself down into her own tank until she couldn’t hold it anymore. When last they’d tried, Addie had made it to her navel; anything belly button and above triggered an instant change.

“Whaddya think? Too much?”

“Just let me...breathe,” She answered slowly, and worked the shaking down to where it had been before. One more rung, two more rungs and she was above her belly button, and Leo was visibly impressed in spite of the way she was beginning to shake and shiver in that tell-tale sign of an impending change. But it didn’t come--and it didn’t come because frustrated anger roared to life within Addie and she forced it right back down with all of the stubborn determination she possessed.  

And then she pushed off from the ladder entirely and allowed herself to drift back toward Leo. Two seconds later and a bright laugh of pure triumph echoed through the room, and Addie changed direction with about as much ease as she would’ve in the other form (that slim body was still designed to be fairly hydrodynamic, at least more so than most humans) to cut her way smoothly through the water until she could stop herself within her doctor’s outstretched arms.

“Well would you look at that,” He said as she continued to laugh in excitement. “Princess Ádís, I am damn proud of you."


	14. Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Eris comes back out of the shadows, it's with guns blazing and a much more intricate plan than anyone imagined.

Drifting into that soft place between sleep and full wakefulness, Addie eased closer to the warm body that held hers, and she luxuriated in the slide of skin on bare skin. Coupled with the comfort of her bed, the pleasantly worked feeling in her muscles, and the salty scent of seawater still dried into her hair and skin, she was fairly certain she could not be happier if she tried. 

Not until reality came with a ring, the hidden speaker in her room playing the chime that said she was needed somewhere else--somewhere considerably less pleasant. She loosed a little grumble of disappointment and heard, as well as felt, Leo chuckle beneath her. 

“Should’ve gotten more sleep, princess. Can’t imagine what you’ve been doing,” He teased, his voice low and rumbling with sleep in a way that made her shiver. 

“Don’t start that, Doctor, we don’t have time,” She murmured. Her lips just brushed his chest, and then she pressed a real, albeit gentle kiss to the same place. “Good morning.” 

“Good mornin’, Darlin’. Whaddya think they got planned for us?”

“Beyond merciless teasing from my brother? No idea,” Addie grumbled, and this time Leo was the one to let out a disgruntled growl. 

“We really have to go out there, don’t we,” He sighed, and Addie nodded against his chest.

“We really do.” 

Still, she laid there a moment more before she finally made herself roll away from Leo’s warmth and slip out of the bed--and pretended she didn’t know her doctor was watching her. She crossed the room and began to pick through the clothes in her wardrobe, such as there were, and surprised the doctor when she didn’t pull out one of the spectacularly airy and translucent wraps that he could clearly see before her. 

There was an anxiety coiling in Addie’s belly now that made her feel like she should be more protected. Who knew what came next? Eris could strike at any moment, and she wasn’t going to face that monster with nothing but chiffon wrapped around her body. No, instead she chose a pair of tight-fitting pants and a matching tank in solid white, their weave thin but engineered to serve as armor, and pulled a matching white jacket made of several layers of the stuff to carry with her. She even slipped on a pair of flat, white boots that he suspected were a lot sturdier than they seemed. 

“You seem to think something’s coming,” Leo murmured softly as she began to braid her hair back out of her face. 

“I think it would be foolish to dress like it couldn’t happen at any moment.”

“You didn’t seem worried about your wardrobe on the ship.”

“I felt safe there.”

“And you don’t here?”

Addie turned to look at him, pulling her braid over her shoulder since her deft, practiced fingers had finished braiding it down from the top of her head. Those beloved green eyes were dimmed with haunted shadows, and he hated it. 

“I feel safe right here, right now, in this place. With you,” She told him softly. Leo sighed and stood, not caring that his clothes were still crumpled on the floor on either side of the bed, and he crossed the room to take a loose curl at her temple and let it run softly through his fingertips. Silence held for a few slow breaths as Leo frowned at his fingers and turned his hand to trace the backs of his knuckles down her cheek. 

“I’ll try,” Leonard told her softly, and Addie felt something break inside her. 

“No,” She denied, her throat threatening to tighten, her face threatening to betray her and what those words did to her. That hadn’t been what she’d meant. “I don’t want you to.”

“I want you safe.”

“My love, you are a healer, not a soldier,” Ádís denied. The words made her heart race as they left her mouth, but she didn’t take them back: even if he never returned the sentiment, whatever happened, in all that time they’d spent together--during every lullaby he hummed along with, with every wink and smile and tease aimed her way, with every night spent in his room with him where she did, in fact, feel so safe….

Addie had come to love her doctor. 

“Promise me you’ll remember that,” She continued, her voice even softer. And while her heart squeezed unevenly in her chest, Leo was having a quiet moment all his own. 

How many times had he said something so similar? ‘Damn it man, I’m a doctor’ was a joke at this point, he’d used it so many times with Jim; and Jim always made him go anyway, because he knew Bones was perfectly capable of that and more. The captain refused to let Leo squirrel himself away in that windowless bay and opt out of life there in the stars. 

Addie, though...she said it with such tenderness, such sincerity. She wasn’t boxing him in, she was seeing him, and his passion for putting broken things back together even when he couldn’t fix himself; seeing him and the quiet strength it took to do what he did; seeing him and asking him to be himself. No more, and no less. 

Her doctor. 

“‘Long as I don’t have to put you back together again, Darlin’, I promise.” He didn’t wait for her to respond, he simply leaned down and kissed her soft and earnest and hummed when her hands found his sides. But he sighed and pulled away rather than chase that possibility, and Addie sat herself on the bed to wait patiently for him to dress himself. 

He was going to get lost trying to get back if she just left him there—an idea which admittedly amused her. 

When they finally reached the same room they’d eaten dinner in the night before, the rest of the humans (or part-humans) and the royals were beginning to filter in. To her surprise, and in a grim sort of affirmation, Addie’s father entered the room in a similar outfit—as did Elric and his wife, all in different colors. 

The food waiting for them all was a mix of normal human breakfast fare with what would best be described as a ‘coastal’ twist, and things that wouldn’t be considered food for breakfast anywhere on Earth: oyster-like shellfish, raw slices of fish, bright roe--and fish that were undoubtedly from Earth, a strange reminder than the mermaids had been there once and were there still. It was to the raw side of things that Addie went, and Bones realized he hadn’t seen her eat her own people’s food around them all yet, not even the night before. 

He got distracted from filling his own plate by the way Addie layered a soft cheese, thin slices of some sort of blueish, purpleish melon, and what he strongly suspected was salmon on toast with a green tint that made him certain it was made with some kind of kelp or other seaweed, and then topped it all off with some of that small, dark, gleaming roe. The word ‘princess’ was called to mind in a very different way than it had been before, not sweet and affectionate or a title worn like a mantle around the shoulders of a brave young woman standing up in the face of a vindictive sociopath: this time it was fine foods and shimmering fabrics, and imaginings of tiaras and glittering jewels. 

This time it was royalty. 

It brought an amused smile to Leo’s face and he went back to what he was doing. 

And that, of course, was when Spock and the captain finally entered, all three of them sharing a look. Leo’s very clearly said don’t, Spock’s very clearly denoted interest and a touch of amusement, and Kirk looked like Christmas was about to come early. 

“Where did you disappear to last night?” Jim murmured quietly as he bent to pull out a chair on Bones’ other side. 

“Jim--”

“Good morning, Captain,” Addie greeted him, cutting Leonard off. She reached over and plucked a large, live clam from a bowl of seawater, and as she spoke, she slid her sharp thumbnail into the seam and pried the shells apart with little more than a tiny twist of her thumb. “Did you sleep well?” 

All three men stared openly between her face and her hand and she didn’t look at any of them, her face pleasantly blank as she continued to separate the halves with what was practically a talon, something humans required knives and a little leverage to achieve. Leo was the first one to break, smiling bemusedly to himself: not even he could tell if the question was all that was intended as a distraction, or if her showing off her handiwork was a subtle sign to back off. 

“Well?” Addie continued, and Spock found himself more absorbed in what she was doing than what she was saying: those long, thin fingers and strong, sharp nails were making beautiful work of the meat inside. She separated the pieces she wasn’t interested in and set them in the other half, and then lifted her gaze inquisitively to Jim’s face as she popped the dark pink roe out first and took a bite. 

“Uh, yes, actually, thank you. The room was beautiful and the bed was more than comfortable.”

“And Mr. Spock, I trust you found your accommodations adequate?”

“Indeed. I share the captain’s sentiments entirely.” 

A little quirk appeared at the corner of Addie’s mouth: it was the visual equivalent of an ‘I’m sure you do’, for she and her doctor knew full well they weren’t the only two who’d shared quarters the night before. Addie had requested they be given adjacent rooms for that specific reason: Spock and the captain were as subtle as they knew how to be, and that was about as subtle as a Klingon. 

“I’m glad to hear it.” Beneath the table Leo took a moment to drop his hand down while the captain intently busied himself with food and gave Addie’s thigh a gentle squeeze of both thanks and amusement. He watched curiously as Addie separated the scallop from the shell, too, and then cleared his throat and looked back to his own plate when she turned and lifted an eyebrow at him. 

To Addie’s distinct shock, Elric didn’t say a word about her disappearing with her doctor the night before, and neither did Maggie or her father. She assumed it was because there was more important business to be discussed before they worked their way back to the point of teasing, but in truth they’d all decided she should be allowed whatever happiness she could find and have it without harassment, good-natured or otherwise. 

“We’ve already alerted the hospitals and told them to be prepared for the influx so that we can start as soon as we get the Enterprise under the water,” Elric said once they were all seated and had had a chance to dig in. “I don’t think anyone would disagree with the idea of taking care of the transfer as quickly and safely as possible, because it will be a vulnerable moment for all of us.”

“And it would not be out of character for Ashtad to capitalize on our already having our hands tied to launch some sort of attack,” Llyr spoke up as his son finished. Elric looked over at the three men from the Enterprise, but his eyes settled on Addie as he spoke. 

“The ship will have an escort and will be hidden by our own shields as we guide it down. Once it’s settled, we’ll begin transporting them in their groups, and hopefully by this evening they can all be safe and sound and we can be well on our way to finding their families.”

Addie nodded, knowing her brother’s focus was on her so that she could feel some kind of comfort. They finished their meal and then broke: Kirk and McCoy headed up to the Enterprise with her father, and Addie stayed under with Spock and Maggie while the ship was cloaked and then moved. Luckily the humans weren’t the only non-aquatic creatures they dealt with; when the ship was finally settled (to Scotty’s indignation and horror), they were able to connect portable, extendable air locks to the bay doors themselves and pull their teardrop-shaped transport ships into the tube with enough of a seal to drain the water, open the pointed tips like a flower, and load the children in. 

The children were grouped by needs first and age second, the ones recovering from the very worst injuries evacuated first. Ship after ship docked and disappeared into the ocean to take them all over the city, and eventually one such ship brought Addie herself. She walked down into the bay she’d come to know so well and stopped just off to the side. 

It looked so much smaller with all of those tanks dwindling down to nothing. 

It was so much emptier without the doctors and nurses and children. 

Addie felt her throat tighten and swallowed, but it didn’t help: things were coming to an end, and sure, she had expected to miss some things—the children, having something more simple to focus on, the friends she’d been making—but she hadn’t expected it to hit her so hard. 

“Addie?” 

She heard Leo’s voice and turned, blinking and swallowing again; he came walking toward her with concern mixed in with his confusion and she smiled weakly up at him. 

“I wanted to see the progress.”

“You sure?” He asked, and she knew he wasn’t asking if that was really why she’d come: he was asking if she actually wanted that at all. 

“I’m already here,” Addie responded more quietly, and Leo nodded and examined her only a moment more. 

“Well then you might as well make yourself useful. Come on, help us load.” Leonard led her on with a gentle hand at the small of her back and had enough good sense not to press the issue anymore; and neither did he award her any more concerned looks. He was well aware of how delicate a balance keeping yourself together could be, and he had no interest in being the reason the princess ended up crying on the floor in the middle of the room in front of everyone. 

Again. 

The work was good: she was allowed to focus, to see ‘her’ kids again, and was able to remind herself that just as her doctor had said, the children would never be out of her reach. She could find her little accidentally adopted babies and keep up with their progress as much as she wanted to. 

Addie had just offered her doctor the sweetest smile when the first explosion hit. 

There was no time to react before it was followed by a second. 

——

“What the fuck was that?” Elric asked as first one shockwave and then another rocked through the city, his expression sharp and watchful. There was no need to repeat the question: Captain Kirk’s voice came over Spock’s communicator loudly and urgently. 

“Commander Spock, we are taking fire! I repeat, we are taking fire!”

Sirens began to sound through the city, eerie and piercing as they echoed through the halls and tunnels and tubes and moaned like ghosts through the water. Even the communicator was a cacophony, people shouting orders and updates behind the captain, the red alert sirens blaring; Spock could picture it all in his head, and it took considerably more work than usual to try and keep himself ‘emotionless’. 

It wouldn’t do for people to look at him and see his fear for his T’hy’la in that moment. 

Behind him he heard Elric ask his wife about the whereabouts of the princess, and remembered she’d gone on to the ship to help, and he had no idea if the captain even knew, let alone her father. 

“Captain, where are they directing the fire?” Spock asked, and this time there was indeed a flicker of something that passed over his face with Jim’s response. 

“They’re aiming for the kids,” Jim said more quietly. “They’ve hit the bay twice, emergency protocols have shut off the area so they don’t flood the whole ship—King Llyr has already started calling in reinforcements since we’re goddamn sitting ducks down here in the water.”

“Captain, the bays—”

“They’ve been destroyed, Commander.” The quietness of Jim’s voice was no longer secretive, it was thick with the pain—the anger—he wasn’t able to swallow down. 

“They’re gone.” 

“And the doctor? The princess?”

Elric and Maggie stared at the communicator, both pale. 

“Nothing.” 

Elric and Maggie both hardened as Spock did and the three of them looked at each other for a moment. 

“With me,” Elric said, and took off quickly for the city’s command center. There was no reason for his father to be giving the orders from the Enterprise: Parallax was his responsibility, and he had a better view of the outside than his father would. 

“Captain, have you or His Majesty any idea who or what is attacking you?” Spock asked as they ran the halls. 

“Us,” Elric answered for him. “Who the fuck else? It’s Eris’ people, whoever’s been putting out that propaganda. You know anyone else who can operate that well underwater?” 

The prince was spitting the words furiously, and his usually sparkling ice blue eyes seemed to burn in equal ferocity to the snarl on his face. 

They had just hit the command center in time to receive the call. 

“Your Highnesses.” 

Ashtad’s face was suddenly everywhere, on every screen; it echoed through the room and sent a sick fury sweeping through even the Vulcan. 

“I’m sorry about the children--and presumably your doctor.” Her brown eyes swept the room and a small quirk appeared at the left corner of her mouth. “Where is the princess?” 

The silence that greeted her drew that quirk into a wicked grin. 

“Oh, how disheartening. But of course, she had to be there with her doctor, didn’t she. So poetic.” 

Maggie began to scour the room to see where the weak link might be that allowed Ashtad to take over their systems and looked over just in time to see a woman tear a tiny pocket on her shoulder and pull out a pill. With a vicious snarl she pulled something out of the pocket on her own thigh and gave it a flick: a telescoping harpoon came shooting out of itself and snapped into place, barbs sharp and unforgiving. 

One inhumanly powerful throw saw it burying itself in the woman’s shoulder, in through the back and out through the hand at the hidden pocket, pinning her in place. 

“Get her off the fucking screen,” Maggie barked, and used the next harpoon that came shooting out of itself in her hand as a pointer. 

“Ah ah ah, not so fast, Margarida.” Maggie bristled at the woman’s familiarity, but Ashtad ignored her. “See, I’ve come to give you a tip. Don’t waste your time on the children: if you want to save the most lives, you need not be looking to this planet at all.” 

“What does that mean?” Spock demanded; his vehemence shocked Maggie and Elric, but neither of them said a word to calm or stop him. 

“Do you care, Commander? Oh, goodness me. That is a new one. Let’s just say, you and your human friends are going to have one more thing in common soon.” 

Spock’s hands twitched at his sides, and he brought his communicator back up to his face. 

“Captain--”

“Spock we’ve got an emergency transmission from Earth,” Jim spoke over him. “It’s Eris, she’s--there’s ships placed around the planet. Not too many, that they can see, but they’re just waiting. Spock, she’s--she’s going for home.”

“Captain, is the Enterprise still under attack?”

“Negative, the Parallaxans have drawn the fire away from us and from what I can tell have gained the upper hand, at least for now. Spock--I have to go.”

“Of course, Captain, I’ll meet you--”

“No, Spock, you don’t--you don’t understand. We don’t have a whole lot of time.” 

“Captain--”

“I’m pulling her out of the water, Mr. Spock. We’re breaching and then I’m separating the saucer. I need you to take care of the crew.” 

The commander looked absolutely winded. 

“Jim.” There was almost a plea in those words, and on his bridge the captain passed a hand over his face.

“You’re staying with the saucer, Spock, that’s a direct order. I can fly the stardrive section to Earth even with the damage and try to keep whatever Eris has planned from destroying everything. Are we clear?”

The order was met with silence, and he tried very hard to pretend like there wasn’t an extra, unpleasant brightness to his gaze. 

“Spock?” 

Was it just them, or had the captain’s voice gentled?

“Aye, Captain. Stay with the saucer. I read you loud and clear.”

“...Thank you. Kirk out.” 

Spock just stood there when the line closed, and rather than bother him, the prince and princess both set to work. Elric began calling orders to Parallax’s forces, securing the city, establishing a perimeter and setting aside a special guard for the Enterprise as it surfaced. Shields were brought up, practically invisible in the silvery waters, seen only when something struck the surface and sent a jolt of silvery, electric-like light scattering over the forcefield’s surface. It curved from the ocean floor and followed the shape of the whole city in domes and branches, above and below the water. 

Maggie had the woman she’d harpooned collected and taken to be stabilized and held for questioning, and then, finally, she looked at Spock. 

“Commander, the section your captain intends to take to Earth contains the ship’s warp core, does it not? The saucer is left with impulse power.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Spock responded, finally jerking himself out of his thoughts. “I apologize, I have not been attentive.” 

“You answered me as soon as you were addressed, Commander, you’ve been attentive enough. The saucer. Does it have its own shields and weapons?”

“Yes, but they are not as strong as the whole ship working in concert with itself, or the weapons located in the stardrive.” 

Maggie surveyed him seriously, and Spock arched an interested, if slightly wary, eyebrow. 

“Your Highness, I do believe you to be concocting a plan.” 

“You bet your ass I am, Commander. See your orders were to stay with the saucer, not to keep the saucer here. I can work with that. As soon as Kirk gets himself on his merry way, there are a few quick upgrades that can be made and then I’d be happy to tear right off after him.” 

Spock stared at her for another moment. 

“I appreciate you, Princess.” 

“Don’t get too excited, Mr. Spock. We all have to live through this first.”

Still on the Enterprise, Llyr paced back and forth in an abandoned corridor of the ship, tense and twitchy, brilliant green eyes gleaming with panic and pain and a manic kind of energy that could become rage at any moment. So far, by his count, Eris had killed hundreds of thousands of his people, hundreds of their children; she had taken two of his sons, and now….

Now she had taken both of his daughters. 

And if by some miracle Addie had lived, there was no way her doctor had. There was no doubt in his mind that Leonard McCoy had been right there in the thick of it, and while mermaids were made for water and made to be tough, tougher than humans, humans were so, so fragile. 

Llyr barely looked around him when he felt the ship begin to move. He heard it strain to lift itself out from beneath the weight of all that water, and with a deep breath he entered the battle bridge and watched silently from the back as yet again he took to the skies, took to space, and tried to think of a way to destroy Ashtad once and for all. 

Addie had told him if he didn’t make it right she’d do it herself, even if it took them both out….

Llyr found he was more than prepared to adopt the same sentiment.

The one place he’d never let himself go was the headspace of revenge. He was a king, and kings were meant to keep cooler heads, but for a thousand years Ashtad had plagued him; and because of his inability to fight smarter the first time around, it had cost him his children. He was not going to make that same mistake again. 

Not when he might only have one left. 

\----

The water was cloudy. Not the same mercurial quality that it should have had, something else, something darker. It filled her mouth and nose, made it so hard to breathe, and she was still so foggy from her nap.

Ádís passed a hand over face, a very human move in this aquatic form; flashes blew past her face, and after a moment longer she realized she was upside-down. Not because everything looked the wrong way up, but because most of the people who floated like her were faced up toward the surface. Whatever clouded the water seemed to be coming from she herself: down her tail, there was a wide gash leaking red into the water, and if she wasn’t mistaken there was another one leaking just up by her hairline and an ache across her back that made her sure there was at least one more. She frowned and shivered. 

The water had never felt this cold before, not in Parallax...and the ocean was never so silent, not anywhere, even if she was the only thing swishing and swimming through the deep. 

She brought her hand up in front of her face once more and snapped. 

Nothing. 

Once again Addie squinted and looked around her, and when she saw a limp, orange and silver body floating lifelessly with the current, everything came crashing back. 

“No!” The sound was more of a shriek than anything else, but Addie flipped herself the right way up--and then seized up as the pain in her back tripled. “No, no, no….”

Addie tried again, and gritted her teeth against the bone-deep fire that seemed to tear across her back. That’s when she saw the others, more of her people, hurt and slow but determined as they collected who and what they could and took off out of danger to bring the even more injured to safety. There were children everywhere, children who’d been stable for weeks and now were in the same place they’d started, if not worse. 

She didn’t want to think about worse. 

It came to her anyway the moment she realized her people were collecting humans in the middle of the firefight, too. She gasped hard and began to dart through the crowd, leaving streaks of blood in her wake, her heart racing as she tried to find her doctor. She could remember it now, the smile she’d offered him before the first explosion--the smile he’d returned. 

Had his last expression been a smile?

She couldn’t stand to even entertain the thought. 

No, she kept swimming, spinning in circles, looking in every direction for him and hoping the reason she didn’t see him was because someone had already saved him. 

She chanted while she searched, still foggy and steadily losing power, murmuring denials to herself even as she grabbed people by the arms and tried her best to ask for a man they’d likely never even laid eyes on. Addie ignored their disturbed looks and attempts to get her to come with them, ignored the people who recognized her and tried to call her name to petrifyingly deaf ears; she kept swimming until finally a familiar flash of pristine white came streaking into her field of vision and caught her by the arms. The only other color on the person were icy blue eyes that were both sincere and insistent as Elric told her--soundlessly--that she had to come with him. Addie shook her head, her face screwed up into something panicked and agonized, and tapped her ears, but the words that came next she could read easily. 

We have him. 

Relief melted her and she went limp in her brother’s grasp. 

And then her eyes rolled back.


	15. Desperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite severe injuries, Bones volunteers himself for the mission to rejoin Kirk and save Earth, and Addie prepares to go with him—but the things that must be done to get the princess back into fighting shape leave the doctor furious and sick.

“She’s beginning to wake.”

“I thought they were gonna keep her under for a while longer!”

“She should be just fine as long as she doesn’t move.”

“Doesn’t move? Do you hear yourself? She almost killed herself trying to find him, you think she’s going to stay still once she remembers we already had?”

“She almost _what?”_

The group standing by the wall turned to look at the newest voice: the doctor, in his own bed. He blinked hard, rubbed his eyes, and then began to look around the room for his Princess; the doctor stopped when a dull ache shot through his neck and shoulder, a fact that did not bode well for him.

“Ádís was injured in the blast just as you were, but rather than seek help, she attempted to find you,” Spock explained calmly. “That is as much as we have been able to glean from those who witnessed the response to the attack.”

The doctor’s face paled, his eyes narrowed, and they shifted to the wall behind them. He’d finally registered in the dimmed lights of the room that the wall wasn’t a wall at all: it wasn’t curved and it didn’t go all the way up to the ceiling, and there seemed to be touch points along its surface that looked like they would trigger screens that popped up along its surface.

Monitors.

“Let me see,” He growled, his voice already hoarse from having been so waterlogged. Elric, Maggie, and Spock all hesitated, and Leo’s expression turned dark and furious and he jerked his thumb in a silent order, even if he wouldn’t move much farther, yet. “ _Let me see.”_

They parted, and for a moment it was hard to tell what was where—

Because the water was unnaturally blue, not like the silvery depths, and whatever filled the tank was clearly something medicinal. Addie floated limply, suspended in the liquid; there were blue-looking bandages stuck all over her tail, her arms, and her torso, fitted perfectly to the wounds, but those seemed to be the mildest hallmarks of injury. Addie’s impossibly long blue-and-white hair didn’t create a cloud that billowed around her to the top of her tail anymore. It was burned off to her chin, her entire braid essentially having been incinerated, with uneven patches all around.

She rolled slightly and exposed more of her back, and Leo made a pained sound before he could help himself.

The reptilian skin on her back and down the backs of her arms was all mottled, blue replaced with sickly gray. Layers of skin peeled off and waved delicately in the liquid. But that wasn’t necessarily the worst of it: her tail was burned too, scales missing, burned flesh beneath, and as he watched her twitch several more scales floated to the bottom to join the others. And worse even than that, the fan down Addie’s back was torn, burnt spines unconnected, the tissue in between burnt and _torn_ straight through.

“She took more of a hit than you did, Leonard,” Spock explained quietly.

“She’s cut up, and her back and sides are a little...toasty,” Elric added. “Her left side especially.” Beside him Maggie rolled her eyes, but Leo didn’t find it even the slightest bit amusing. He slowly pushed himself up with the arm that didn’t seem to hurt and then swung his legs over the side.

“Doctor—”

“With all due respect, Commander, if you’re about to tell me to slow down I think the hypocrisy might kill me,” Bones snapped. He took a deep breath, stood, and paused just a second before he crossed the space to peer through the glass at Addie. He could see it better now, the burns, the small cuts over her body that hadn’t warranted bandaging. It could have been worse, she could have been _dead_ , but that didn’t make looking at her any easier.

“She was injured in our form.”

“Yes,” Elric affirmed, even though Dr. McCoy had stated fact. “And as soon as the water hit her, her body responded. That shift...didn’t make things better.”

“She’s gonna be hurt for a while, then.”

“Well...theoretically, yes.”

“Theoretically,” Leo repeated, and the way he turned his whole body to examine the prince was sharp and scrutinizing if not as quick as he would have liked.

“Do you remember the serum the princess told us about?” Spock began, and Leo felt his heart leap.

“You have more? Can you give it to her?”

“Only a small amount. Enough to speed the healing up, but not enough for some kind of instant regeneration. A little is going to have to go a long way, here,” Maggie spoke up, and Leo nodded.

“Of course, I don’t—I don’t mean to suggest we take it away from anyone else.”

“We know, Doctor,” Spock replied quietly, and his eyes followed the movement of Leo’s hand as he rested his fingertips on the glass.

Addie stirred again, and this time Leo limped down to where he would be at eye level if she turned to look in their direction. He hadn’t stopped to ask what his own injuries were; the pain on the right side of his body heavily suggested having been thrown into something, but there didn’t seem to be any burning and he didn’t particularly care about anything else when Addie was just... _floating_ there.

In pieces.

He could still see her standing near the airlock, passing off a child; he could see her stop and look at him with a smile so tender it should have melted his heart right out of his body.

And he could still see the fire engulf her.

Leo shuddered.

“What are these touch points for?” He asked, trying to distract himself. He wasn’t about to get more emotional than he already had in front of the prince and princess, and if he stood there and really _thought_ about what he actually remembered a second longer he’d lose it whether he liked it or not.

Maggie looked up at the glowing white marks on the surface and poked them one by one. Addie’s vitals appeared with the first; various monitors came with the next, all opening up into their own windows, including a 3D model of Addie’s body showing where the injuries were and how deep down those burns seemed to go; and the next was her chart. Leo took the time to read through it all, still more slowly than he liked, his frown intent and yet inscrutable. He was glad it was in English. Once he had finished he minimized all of it and then looked at the last glowing, ringed dot.

“What about that one?”

“It’s an amplifier and a translator,” Elric said. “Takes your speech and re-projects it into the water in a way that can be understood on the other side, in case they can’t sign or speak, and it will read our signs and our ‘speech’ to essentially create subtitles. Helps keep it quiet for them, too, the walls and the water are designed to block out sound.”

“So that _is_ water?”

“Mostly. I don’t remember the exact science, something about how plants store their liquid, but they’ve found a way to thicken it enough to create what’s almost a gel that will still pass easily through our bodies and let us breathe. They add medicines to it as needed; there’s a lot in there for her skin.”

Leo nodded and eyeballed the button, and the princess and prince looked at each other hesitantly.

“You can try if you like, but...I don’t think she can hear you, doctor,” Elric told Leo quietly. “We don’t think she can hear at all.”

Leonard didn’t respond for a long several seconds. He just stilled.

It felt like his heart had just plummeted out his ass and through the floor and then kept going.

“...But you don’t know?”

“She hasn’t been conscious long enough to look into it, every time she came to she tried to get out. But people called to her and she didn’t even look while she was still out there, and I would chalk it up to stubbornness and panic except when I got to her she kept tapping her ears and shaking her head,” Elric explained.

Leo closed his eyes and let his breath out slowly.

“Guess it’s a damn good thing y’all already sign,” He murmured hoarsely.

“There is a chance that the serum will return her hearing.” This time the voice came from the other side of the room and the dark-skinned man with the lilac dreadlocks from the day before came into the room, now fully dressed. “I know there is damage, but we don’t know how much of it was taken. The burns take precedence.” He crossed the room and then inclined his head to Leo.

“I am Kibwe, of the Red Sea,” He introduced himself, and suddenly his vaguely familiar accent made sense.

“You mean _the_ Red Sea. From Earth. There are mermaids in the Red Sea?”

“They were the first waters to ever touch my body. Traditionally that is how we are all named: our parents’ chosen name for us, and then the waters they bring us to when it is time to join life beneath the waves.”

“So where’s the Emerald Sea?” Leo asked, and all three people looked down in a way that made him sure he’d put his foot in his mouth.

“Much farther than you have gone,” Maggie replied. She’d not had as much of a connection with it, being from Earth, but she knew it was a sore spot for many—and especially for her husband’s family. “And no longer livable.”

“No longer…?” Leo vaguely remembered Addie mentioning something about a time before their planet had been destroyed, but so much had happened since that conversation that it had gotten lost in all of the other information they’d been forced to absorb so quickly.

“No, Doctor,” Maggie affirmed. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the war that created this mess a thousand years ago; our planet was all but destroyed in the process. The water became toxic, and the rest followed suit.”

Leo was quiet as he thought about the implications of an entire planet’s oceans becoming toxic. Dead reefs, fish, other wildlife; dead plants, even the land becoming ruined as the toxins in the water spread to the rest of the planet. Their people would have become sicker and sicker until they had no choice but to flee….

“How many got out before it was too late?” He asked softly, and this time Elric was the one to raise his voice, a rasp to his words that betrayed deep sorrow.

“Not enough.”

They had been drawn into that conversation so intently that no one seemed to notice the princess had rolled back over in her tank. Kibwe noticed first, and his face smoothed out into something gentle, but watchful.

“Doctor,” He said quietly, and when Leo looked up Kibwe simply nodded to the wall behind him. Leo perked up, but anxiously, and when he turned to look into the water he had to swallow down the urge to let out a shuddering breath.

Addie had rolled so that she was belly-up again, and she seemed to be peering at him like she couldn’t quite make out his form; but even if she couldn’t see him clearly, she still obviously knew it was him, for she reached toward the window as if to beckon him into the water with her. Leo put his fingertips back on the glass and offered her a weak smile, and she flicked her tail and tried to move closer to the glass herself. Panic flared up in his chest for a moment: the last thing she needed to do was _move,_ but if what they’d told him was true, if he left the room she’d be doing a whole lot worse than moving sideways a few feet.

It was no wonder why they’d put the two in the same room.

During those weeks on the ship together, dealing with the children, dealing with Spock and Nyota’s (and his own) curiosity, Leo had managed to pick up some things. Phrases in their own sign, the ones he’d have been using the most often with their children.

It broke his heart that he had to use them now, that she was in bad enough shape for them to be necessary, but on the flip side it was relieving to be able to communicate even a little.

“Be still,” He signed. Leo’s expression and his movements dripped with gentleness, and it carried over into his next motions. “Please.”

He was blissfully unaware that the prince and princess behind him were struck instantly by a sweet sadness at the sight.

Addie opened her mouth to speak and Leo put a finger to his lips, and this time when he moved his hand away he mouthed the word ‘please’ instead. Leo watched in confusion as her hand closed until she was pointing to his face.

“What’s she want?” Leo asked the others. He didn't take his eyes off of Addie for a second.

“She’s probably concerned about your own well-being, Doctor,” Spock pointed out, and it was telling of how much seeing the princess like that affected him that Bones didn’t bristle at the subtle sass inherent in those words. “Especially since you look rather...worse for wear.”

“Worse for—” This time Leonard did look away, because he realized in that moment the material forming her tank, presumed to be glass, gave no glare and no reflection. “What the hell do I look like?”

“Like you were thrown into a wall,” Maggie replied sarcastically. “Because you were thrown into a wall.”

“Ah, shit,” Bones swore as he turned back around. “Black eye, split lip, whole nine yards?”

“I would add a few yards, Doc. You broke your whole face. It’s just you can’t feel all of it yet.”

Kibwe sighed heavily.

“As usual, I thank you for your colorful summation, Princess,” He said. “You have not broken your face, Doctor. But I can offer you little news more positive than that.”

Kibwe was intentional about what side he offered his tablet to, and watched the Doctor carefully as the man read through his own chart.

“Broken nose...minor zygomaticomaxillary fractures, hell of a concussion—no, you’re right, I didn’t break my entire face. Just half of it. Oh, good, and cervical strain, I really must have taken the whole hit to my head. Fantastic.” He was even more careful when he looked back up at the other doctor. “I’m assuming you haven’t given me any painkillers, so why doesn’t this hurt like a bitch?”

“There’s a patch behind your ear that’s releasing electrical pulses that are keeping the worst pain at bay, which are listed, if you would like to keep reading.”

“...Huh.” Leo grumped, but found himself blinking hard as he tried to focus back on the words.

“Ah. Perhaps not,” Kibwe said, and gently took the tablet back from the doctor. “You should rest.”

Leonard opened his mouth to say he was fine and then closed it again as Kibwe gave him a look that was such a strikingly similar variation of his ‘don’t argue with me’ he couldn’t even sass, let alone bullshit his way out.

“Lay back down, Doctor. I’m sure His Royal Highness can translate between yourself and the princess if she needs you, and I know your Commander and Princess Margarida have business they must attend to.”

“What business?” Bones demanded, and Spock’s face cooled in a way that reminded the doctor that there was a whole other crew to be worried about. “Spock...where’s Jim?”

“The Captain has seen fit to separate the saucer and leave it here on Parallax while he takes the stardrive section to Earth.”

Bones absorbed that for a moment, and cooled just as Spock had; nausea joined the list of ailments he already suffered.

“What’s on Earth?”

“Hopefully nothing, Doctor. But Klingon ships have been identified in the area.”

“And Eris has all but explicitly told us she’s coming for Earth,” Elric added.

“So we’ve begun evacuating all non-essential personnel from the saucer, and intend to fly it into Earth’s space to give the captain whatever backup he may need, along with our own ships,” Maggie continued. “And to do that successfully we have to retrofit your saucer with the tech to give it a little more juice.”

“Warp capabilities,” Leo translated suspiciously.

“We’re good, Doc, but I don’t know if we’re _that_ good.”

“Well ya might have to be, Princess. When do we leave?”

“We? Doc, you’re a mess. And Addie’ll lose her head if you go.”

“I’m not staying behind when y’all are runnin’ right into danger. I’m a healer, damn it, and that’s what I intend to do.”

“We’ll bring one of our own.”

Spock cleared his throat.

“With respect, Your Highness, Doctor McCoy is versed and practiced in the healing and well-being of literally hundreds of species and is exceedingly talented at learning and adapting to the physiology of new species and hybrids the galaxy has not yet seen. If there was a way to get him into fighting shape, there is no better man to accompany us. He is a brilliant, and an irreplaceable member of my crew, and I need him.”

The room was silent for a long few beats. Not even Bones could think of some kind of witty southern comeback: Spock had just complimented him _heavily_ and that always left him a little speechless.

“Very well, Commander,” Elric said. “Change of plans, Dr. Kibwe. Set aside enough of the serum to get the doctor and the princess back into fighting shape. We’ll bring them both.”

“Your Highness, even if the body is healed the energy still required to actually heal their bodies—especially Princess Ádís’ wounds—will be massive. Sending them into a potential combat situation is unbelievably reckless.”

“Sounds like Addie,” Maggie replied with a smirk, and Kibwe had opened his mouth to argue when Bones finally remembered his words.

“I’ll keep her safe, Doctor. As best I can,” He promised softly, just as he’d promised her that morning. She’d denied him, and even worse, he’d _failed_ her; but he wasn’t going to do it again. His princess wasn’t getting hurt because of his negligence.

Kibwe loosed a frustrated huff.

“I’ll begin making the preparations,” He agreed stiffly. He left as Elric thanked him, and Bones turned to lift an eyebrow up at Spock.

“Spock, if you expect us to get there before Earth’s used in a galactic game of kick the can, y’all had better get started.”

Not long later and the Princess and Commander did, in fact, head out, leaving Bones alone with a half-conscious Addie and her elder brother.

“What Dr. Kibwe was saying about the energy required...this isn’t gonna hurt her, is it?” He asked softly.

“A little,” El admitted just as quietly, and Leo frowned indignantly.

“Then why the hell would you let me argue for it? I want her _healthy,_ I want her _safe,_ I don’t care if she has to sit on the sidelines for that to be the case! Just knock her out again until we get back!”

“It’s too late now, Doc.”

“And what the hell do we do when she collapses out there, huh? She has a habit, if you didn’t know.”

“She won’t collapse. We have a way to...keep them going until it’s safe to rest.”

“You mean drugs,” Leonard drawled, contempt clear in his tone.

“I do. And whether or not she takes them will be up to her.”

“But you know she won’t refuse!”

“The she doesn’t refuse!”

Elric had finally raised his voice, and it was loud enough that a nurse poked their head into the room to make sure everything was all right. When she left El glared back over at the doctor.

“I don’t want this for anyone. But my father is going to battle the woman who ruined him and the daughter she broke. The only people around who can keep him level are his children—and I can’t be there.”

“You...can’t?”

“Of course not. I’m the godsdamned Crown Prince, do you really think they’re going to let me go off gallivanting across the galaxy, straight into danger, when Eris has three out of five of the heirs and one of us has nearly been killed already today? No. I have to stay. Maggie can go, but I have to stay. And besides, someone has to stay here and keep these people protected. She goes. And if Kibwe doesn’t drag his feet, she’ll have a little time to rest before they finish the modifications on the ship.”

“I resent that, Your Highness.” Kibwe replied as he came into the room, and there was only so much dry sass in his reply. What he _resented_ was being forced to send wounded people right back into the line of fire, and Elric knew it.

Bones watched as Kibwe prepared an injection of a transparent, light pink liquid the old-fashioned way.

“We haven’t had time to restructure for hyposprays, and that requires too much dilution for what we want,” He explained as he pulled the stopper back and drew the solution up into the syringe. “Now lay down.”

“Dear god, what is this, the dark ages?” Bones grumbled from his new place on the bed as Kibwe flipped his arm, found a vein in the crook of his elbow, and then swabbed the site.

“Desperation,” The other doctor replied, and gently slid the needle home. Bones met his gaze for a moment with sober, haunted understanding and then swallowed down a grunt as the serum hit his system. He began swearing instantly, tight and breathless: the injection burned, and continued to burn as it spread rapidly through blood and tissue; sweat beaded along his forehead and his upper lip and began to appear at his throat and back and temples as it continued without easing.

 _“You said ‘a little’, you motherfucking—”_ Leo cut himself off with a deep, pained groan. Between his panting and swearing, the doctor hadn’t realized he wasn’t the only one being given the injection: a nurse had swum into Addie’s chamber with some sort of protective material encasing her face and body, and as Addie went limp again (sedating drugs worked fast when it hit the water and filled every orifice), the nurse sent an even greater amount of the serum rushing into her princess’ system.

Mercifully, the princess wasn’t awake by the time the pain should have hit.

By the time Leonard was able to breathe again Kibwe was already monitoring his healing closely—and the doctor felt like he’d been deathly ill for months and was just recently beginning to get his feet back under him.

He had no idea how Addie was even going to regain consciousness in the next few _days,_ let alone hours or minutes.

“How do you feel, Doctor?” Elric asked quietly.

“Like shit. Did it work?”

“The fractures have not quite closed completely, but the tissue damage in your neck and your concussion have healed tremendously. The fractures should follow soon, provided you don’t do anything to exacerbate the breaks. I trust I don’t have to explain what might happen if you were to take another blow to the face.”

Leo cleared his throat and winced at the thought.

“No, I uh. I got it. How about Addie? Where’s she at?”

He’d meant in the process of healing: he hadn’t taken a moment to look into the tank yet and hadn’t even bothered to ask how long he’d been struggling beneath the fire of the serum. 

“I’m right here, Doctor.”

The princess’ voice was soft and raspy, and it took everything in the doctor to sit up with any measure of restraint when he saw her walk through the door. She looked...better. Much better. She certainly wasn’t peeling and bleeding, all of the gashes closed, but her skin was red and tight in wide swaths where the burns had been and now that he could see her full-on, without the hazy gel-water keeping her obscured, the left side of her head had no hair at all.

And yet, as he took her in, he smiled.

“Your hair’s cute short.” And it was—what was left of it.

Apparently that had been the wrong thing to say: Addie managed a broken smile for about a half a second, and then she began to break down; she touched the singed ends of her hair gingerly and crossed the room in a hurry when he stood and opened his arms.

“I thought you were dead,” She admitted thickly as he wrapped her up in a gentle embrace against his chest, almost hyper-aware of her newly, _mostly_ healed skin.

“And I thought you couldn’t hear.”

She let out a wet laugh and shook her head slowly.

“I couldn’t. I think I could hear little bits...but the sound-resistant tank didn’t help.”

“And the serum did?”

“I don’t know what else it would have been. Try as I might, sheer stubbornness has yet to fix anything on its own merits alone.”

“I hope you know you’ve admitted that out loud, darlin’,” Leo drawled affectionately, and Addie huffed out a tiny laugh. Addie stood in silence for a while after that, content to be held by her doctor; she ignored the nausea that boiled in her belly and the weight that settled into her bones, the exhaustion that turned her whole body to lead.

“Hey, Sis,” Elric’s voice interrupted the way Leo had buried his face in Addie’s riot of curls, and he sighed softly as Addie pulled away. She pulled El into a hug too, and touched her forehead to his with a sad little smile.

“I hear I’m going back into space.”

And _there_ was the guilt on Elric’s face that Leo felt should have been there all along, genuine and pained.

“I’m so sorry, Ads. I just—”

“I know. I’ll keep Maggie safe, and you keep everyone in one piece out here, okay?”

El nodded and kissed his baby sister’s forehead, and smiled wryly.

“I don’t know when you got so grown up, but I’m going to need you to slow down, eh? This is terrifying.” They pulled apart, but as he did he held his hand up for Addie to see: in his palm was a little white pill that she eyed soberly.

“How long have I got?”

“Six hours. I’ll give you a few more for the road, just in case.”

“A few?” Leo cut in with a deep frown. Whatever he had to be giving Addie, it couldn’t be anywhere _close_ to healthy, especially not in that state.

“Of course. Some of them are for you. They’ll keep you until someone can relieve you, if worst comes to worst.”

Bones remained visibly skeptical, but Addie placed her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“You don’t have to touch them. But they’ll be there just in case.”

“How close are we to leaving?” He asked, moving on from that subject without giving any kind of answer. He kept his gaze pointedly on the ground as Addie popped the pill and Elric answered for her.

“Got about an hour to prepare. Your commander brought down a new uniform for you, and Addie’ll get the rest of her gear on, and by the time we’re up top they should be ready to head out.”

Addie gave a visible shudder beside them and Leo’s face hardened: there was energy in her eyes, yes, but god only knew what was happening to her internally. He swallowed down his disapproval and looked her over instead.

“Gear?”

“Like what I was wearing earlier.”

“Lot of good that did ya, darlin’,” Leonard drawled, and Addie shook her head, a haunted sort of light appearing in her eyes.

“Don’t do that. It’s the only reason I’m alive. The things they had to do to my face before you even woke up….” She trailed off, and Leo looked her over again: the left side of her face and along nearly half of her scalp was fresh and red like the rest of her burned areas, but he hadn’t seen it beforehand. Had it really been so much worse?

The total picture provided said yes, which prompted a whole slew of questions from a medical standpoint, but Kibwe had not returned and he wasn’t about to put any more on Addie than he had to. Instead he kissed her forehead softly as Elric led her away and changed into his own clean, dry uniform with tired hands.

He tried not to think about what was ahead of them, but it proved impossible. A thousand-year-old madwoman with a potential army of Klingons and weapons they could only dream of, hurtling toward Earth, toward his home, toward his baby girl...his Princess’ family hanging, precarious to a terrifying extreme, in the balance….

And his sweet Princess, broken and burned, was going right back into it all with her back straight and fear in her heart and gods only knew what coursing through her system.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is the beloved bastard child of an AU crossover RP, that became another AU idea, that became a drabble that stopped being a drabble in approximately thirty seconds when my brain threw up worldbuilding and oozed backstory. Addie is an OC of mine, and one of the characters I play in said AU crossover universe. HUGE shoutout to Midgetdragon7x for reading and encouraging me to post (and keep writing), and also for being a kick-ass RP partner and friend!


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